Where Walls Once Stood
by Tegan's Muse
Summary: Dana Scully in the Big Apple... Starts off more of a T rating. There are references to rape and crimes against children, nothing explicit but please proceed with caution.
1. Breathing Wounds

**Where Walls Once Stood**

**Breathing Wounds**

I finished this back in 2004, so an old fic for me. It was once posted on Geocities so if you recognize you might have read it there. I'm leaving my little disclaimer at the beginning just for kicks. Enjoy.

Fandom: Law & Order SVU / X- Files Crossover

Pairing: Benson/Scully Cabot/Carmichael and anything in between

Disclaimer: The characters of SVU and X-files belong to Dick Wolf and Chris Carter, respectively. I do not own them, and I am not sure they would want to be owned in my twisted world. Also, this is in no means a song fic, but music is a big thing in my personal life, so I couldn't not use it in this particular fic. The lyrics belong to their respective artists. I do not make any money what so ever from writing fanfic, it's just a hobby.

All other characters and writing copyrighted 2004

Rating: TV-14 … nothing worse than what is seen and implied on SVU . However, if you are offended by female slash, go find some other fanfic to read.

Summary: What if….

Thanks: Many many kudos to my Beta Reader… who is probably cringing at my lack of proper grammar in my disclaimer. I couldn't have done it with out you Caillean! Thanks for your support, and for finally urging me to post my first fanfic. Who knows maybe I'll dig up some old ones, and dust them off… or maybe I'll just work on some new ones. Maybe even a sequel to this one. ;)

Feedback: I'm a starving artist… I live on feedback. I make only one request, if you are going to flame the slash, or my pairing choices; Don't bother. All other comments, and constructive criticism are welcome.

"I don't want to rain on your parade. I want to burst all your floats." – Detective John Munch

On with the show…..

* * *

><p>NYC, NY<p>

It was weeklong seminar, and Agent Scully was there alone. Agent Mulder came up with some last minute excuse not to go, something to do with hemorrhoids and not being able to sit for extended periods of time. She on the other hand, was scheduled to speak to a handful of medical examiners and forensic pathologists. So, here she was in New York, and she didn't know anyone.

Olivia sat down beside Elliot near the back of the hotel's conference room. She still wasn't sure why they were here. Cragen suggested she and Elliot attend the Law Enforcement seminar, since the FBI headed it and it was open to all local law enforcement officers. It was going to be a long week. As the first expert was droning on about maintaining scene integrity, she was already trolling for reasons not to come back.

At ten o'clock they broke for a fifteen-minute break. Elliot headed for the bathroom. Olivia stood up stretching her arms before heading back to the table of assorted sludge.

"You'd think the FBI could at least spring for some decent coffee." Olivia mumbled to herself.

"You're telling me." A woman next to her commented.

Olivia glanced sideways, as she felt her face flush. She hadn't meant to make the comment out loud, and definitely not in earshot of… she looked for the, my name is tag. She couldn't find one, but was willing to bet she was an FBI Agent. Definitely one of America's finest, at least from her profile. "Sorry."

"No need to apologize…"

"Detective Olivia Benson," Olivia recognized the searching eyes. "Manhattan SVU."

"Agent Dana Scully, FBI headquarters." Scully reached for a carton of skim milk sitting on ice. "I have the pleasure of boring some people to tears tomorrow, but I'm here for the duration."

"Liv, be a doll and get me a coffee." Elliot winked when she glared in his direction.

"You're partner?" Scully asked.

"Yeah, and believe it or not he does the coffee run seventy-five percent of the time." She poured another cup. "Is your partner here?"

"No, I actually came alone." Scully frowned. "My partner is the King of avoidance when it comes to any kind of seminar. He thinks since he's Oxford educated he need not attend."

"So what was his excuse?" Olivia turned and finally took in the full view of Agent Scully, and was pleased her big mouth had drawn her attention.

"Hemorrhoids." She gave a disbelieving smile.

"Ouch!" The sparkle in Olivia's onyx eyes did not go unobserved. As her smile faded, Olivia realized with some embarrassment that they had held their gaze for a second too long. She had been lost in the crystal blue depths of this beautiful red head. Funny, she had never been attracted to a red head before, or someone who was vertically challenged.

"Well, I guess I should get back to my seat." Scully broke the almost awkward silence.

"Yeah." Olivia nodded to Elliot that she was coming.

"Who was that?" The lure in his voice, told her he approved.

"Elliot, behave yourself. It's Agent Scully from FBI headquarters, and she's going to be lecturing tomorrow."

"Guess that means you won't be pretending to be sick until later in the week." Elliot grinned.

"Stop it." Olivia warned, but he was right. She couldn't keep her eyes off her, and from where they sat she had the perfect vantage point. "Her partner didn't come. He begged off with a hemorrhoidal excuse."

"Is that your new slang for asinine?"

"No, he has hemorrhoids."

Elliot cringed at the thought. "So, invite her to lunch with us."

"I thought we were meeting with Cabot?"

"For a friendly lunch, she won't mind the extra company. Might even give you a run for your money."

"Don't make me pull my weapon." Olivia threatened just as the next speaker stood at the podium. Elliot suspected Olivia was attracted to the ADA, but neither was sure what Alex's preference was. For now Olivia was content with just being good friends. She didn't want to ruin a good thing, even if she thought it might make it a better thing.

Her attention found its way back to the lovely Agent Scully. She watched her jot a few notes down, as she listened attentively. How she could be so interested in the importance of securing a crime scene before CSU collected evidence, was beyond her.

It was closing in on eleven fifteen, when Scully looked at her watch. This guy was worse than the first one. She felt like a high school student again. Pretending to listen and take notes, when she was really writing down her own profile of Olivia Benson. The beautiful brown hair that kept falling into her dark brownish black eyes, her sense of humor, and her smile. Why sex crimes? Scully wondered as she turned around to steal a glance.

Olivia saw her turning and looked down at her notebook pretending to jot something down. Scully smiled slightly, Mulder would never pay attention at one of these things and here was Detective Benson taking notes. Although she found the speaker particular boring, Scully admired Olivia for getting what she could out of it.

"Damn." Olivia sighed when Scully turned back around.

"What?" Elliot leaned forward and whispered in her ear.

"Nothing." Olivia wondered if she had been checking her out, or if she was just looking around the room. She convinced herself it was the latter.

When they broke for lunch at twelve, Scully was slow to gather her things together. Without Mulder there to rush her she could take all the time she needed. At the moment she needed a lot of it. She wasn't sure what was happening to her, but she hoped to get to know Detective Benson better. She couldn't remember ever feeling this way.

"Agent Scully?" Olivia had been pushed in her direction, but Scully was in too deep a thought to notice. She repeated herself, not sure she'd been heard. "Agent Scully?"

"Detective Benson." Scully turned with a smile pulling at her lips.

"This is my partner Detective Stabler."

"Hi, it's Elliot." He reached out his hand in greeting.

Scully returned the hearty handshake, noting silently his sly smile.

"We were wondering if you had lunch plans?" Olivia drew her attention again.

"Um – no, not really. I was just going to catch a bite in the bar and read over my lecture for the thousandth time." Scully rolled her eyes in the direction of her briefcase.

"We're meeting a friend for lunch, if you'd like to tag along?" Elliot spoke before Olivia could accept reviewing her lecture as an excuse.

"I wouldn't want to intrude."

"No intrusion." Olivia smiled. "I'm sure Alex would love to meet you. That is if you don't mind being a little late getting back here?"

Scully gave the duo an intriguing look, wondering just who the Alex person was. If he was cute, a personal friend of Olivia's or just how they all knew each other? She graciously accepted but only for the benefit of spending some time with Olivia. The thought of being set up with some stranger named Alex, caused her stomach to tighten.

"We're meeting at this cute little Italian restaurant. It's just down the block, on the left." Olivia announced when they reached the sidewalk.

Scully pulled her black wool coat tighter around her. She hated the FBI's sense of humor, a seminar in New York in January. She'd be a Popsicle before it was over, not that she'd mind the cold if it would snow and weren't so windy.

Elliot and Olivia headed toward the restaurant with Scully walking between them. Olivia tightened her own scarf against the cold breeze. In no time they were standing in the lobby of a quaint little bistro, pictures of Italy's countryside adorned the walls of the entrance. Scully removed her coat and handed it to the attendant, before straightening her wind blown hair. Olivia smiled, and pointed over to Alex. Elliot nodded and explained to the maitre'd their lunch date was already seated. He waved them in the general direction of the table, and Elliot led the way. Scully couldn't see around him, until they arrived at their table.

"Hope you don't mind, we brought an extra guest." Elliot stepped aside. "Agent Scully meet our own personal ADA, Alexandra Cabot. Alex, meet Agent Scully."

Scully locked her jaw for a minute, just to keep her chin from hitting the floor. She wasn't sure if it was the shock of Alex not being a man, or her sheer elegance. She swallowed, noticing the sapphire eyes studying her. "Hi, it's nice to meet you."

"Like wise." Alex shook her hand and offered her a seat.

The waiter arrived immediately with extra menus and took their drink orders. Alex ordered a diet Pepsi with lemon, not that she needed anything diet. Elliot ordered a root beer, followed by Olivia's caffeine free Pepsi, lastly Scully ordered water with lemon.

"We met Agent Scully at the seminar, seems her partner stood her up to stay in Washington with medical problems." Olivia explained.

"Perceived medical problems." Scully interjected.

"So, how is the seminar going?" Alex questioned.

"Boring." Elliot answered.

"I don't know, I've found certain aspects of it kind of interesting." Olivia grinned.

"You would." Elliot looked over the menu.

"And you Agent Scully?" Alex peered over her menu.

"Please, call me Dana." Scully leaned slightly to the side, as the waiter placed her water in front of her. "The coffee there could be better."

Olivia blushed.

"Sorry Detective." Scully hadn't meant to embarrass her.

"Dana, it's Olivia. I don't believe in formality among friends."

"You don't believe in formality period."

Olivia reached over and playfully smacked Elliot's right shoulder. He grasped it in mock offense, and Scully noted the wedding ring. She felt panic attack her stomach, for some odd reason it settled when she noted no such ring on Olivia's hand. "So what do you suggest?"

Olivia was the first to speak up. "The lasagna here is excellent."

"Olivia's right the lasagna is good, but so is the fettuccini Alfredo." Alex closed her menu, having made up her mind.

"I'd personally go for the Calamari." Elliot reached for his drink.

"If you eat that, you're sitting alone this afternoon." Olivia announced.

Elliot shrugged.

"Calamari, huh? Wouldn't sound too bad, except I make it a rule to not eat anything from the sea." Scully laid her menu to the side, and noticed Olivia was smiling in her direction. "What?"

"Nothing." Olivia looked at Elliot. "Just, I can't stand seafood either. That's why he suggested it."

"I'm innocent." Elliot feigned horror as the waiter arrived.

"Are you ready to order?"

Alex looked around as everyone nodded. "Yes, I'll have the Fettuccini Alfredo and a Cesar salad."

Olivia went next, ordering a house salad with French dressing and the lasagna. Elliot surprised everyone by ordering cheese ravioli.

"I'd like the vegetarian lasagna Alfredo, and side salad with Ranch on the side."

"So, how's your day been Alex?" Olivia asked after the waiter retreated to the back.

"I've actually got a pretty light case load right now, in fact I've been helping out in homicide today. Arthur's talking about sending me to a few of the lectures, says it could broaden my horizons."

"Aiming for his chair isn't broad enough?" Olivia turned toward Scully. "Arthur's the DA, for New York City."

Scully nodded.

"I think that's precisely it, although he knows I only want it when he retires. I think he just wants me out of his hair."

"He has hair?" Olivia laughed.

"Not much." Alex assured.

They talked over their lunches. An hour and a half had passed when Alex looked at her watch. "I need to get back to the office, I have a deposition at two-thirty."

"Yeah, we need to get our afternoon naps in back at the seminar." Olivia smiled.

"I thought you were enjoying the conference so far?" Scully asked as they left the restaurant.

"Like I said, certain aspects of it."

There was that look again, Scully noted. Her own lips slightly parted as her tongue played with her upper incisor. Olivia saw the sliver of pink snaking over her tooth, and had to look away. When they walked into the conference room, there were exactly three seats left clumped together in the back row. Fate?

Scully searched her attaché case for a clean sheet of paper, not wanting Olivia to see her makeshift profile of her. Olivia turned to a fresh page, for similar effect. They had walked into the middle of a seminar on entomology. Olivia hated bugs with a passion, but understood their importance in maintaining time of death, exposure etc.

As the afternoon painfully dragged on, Olivia quietly flipped to another blank page and jotted down one word before sliding it towards Scully. "Dinner?"

"You and Elliot?" Scully scribbled.

Olivia felt a pang of disappointment. "No. Elliot has a family to go home to."

"I didn't mean… I knew he was married. Dinner would be great. When?" Scully slid it back.

"Tonight, seven?"

"Where?"

"I'll pick you up. Dress casual. Room #?"

"306"

Olivia smiled.

* * *

><p>Olivia left the seminar and went home to change out of the dress slacks she'd worn to the conference. She jumped in the shower, and felt she was some how betraying Alex. She shook her head of the thought as she rinsed the shampoo out of her hair. For all she knew Alex was straight, and in the very least, they weren't even in a relationship. That settled it, Olivia promised not to think of the beautiful blonde again tonight. It was easy enough at the moment, since she was about to have dinner with a certain redhead. Of course the same problem came to light, was Agent Scully interested in anything more than friendly company during her week here?<p>

Olivia would be happy no matter the outcome, as long as Elliot didn't pick on her. She wrapped a towel around her wet body, and ran another through her hair letting it lay in a tangled mess on her head. She stood in front of her closet studying its contents. Her favorite pair of low riding Levi's called out to her, and she smiled to herself as she tossed them on to the bed. She pulled out a light gray long sleeved knit shirt, black lace bra, and matching underwear.

After putting her clothes on she pulled out a pair of chucks and heavy socks. She returned to the bathroom to brush her teeth and run her fingers through her hair. After finishing up she grabbed her cell phone and put her holster on. She'd like to go out just once without having to wear a sidearm. Tonight she'd wear her black leather jacket.

* * *

><p>Across town Scully stepped out of the shower, and wrapped a towel around her tiny frame. She then made a turban for her hair. By the bed her phone rang, dreading what the call might entail she walked over and picked it up. "Scully?"<p>

"Scully, how are you?"

"I'm fine Mulder." She sighed, half relieved, half frustrated.

"So I see you survived your first day of people trying to talk you to death."

"Yes, I did Mulder."

"When do you get the pleasure of boring the masses?"

"Tomorrow morning, I am second on the circuit." She looked at her watch. She still had plenty of time. "How are the hemorrhoids?"

"They've been worse."

"Imagine that." She mumbled. "Mulder did you call for any reason in particular, or just to bug me?"

"I told you, I wanted to make sure you were still alive. I know how these FBI things can be. Besides, I figured you'd be bored in New York with out me there to keep you company."

"Oh, really? Well for your information I've got plans tonight."

"Don't get all defensive Scully. Who's the lucky guy?"

"Who said anything about a guy?"

"You said you have plans."

"Maybe it's not a date. Maybe I'm going to tour the Big Apple alone."

"It's a guy, I know these things."

"Oh, you do, do you?" Scully loved it when he was wrong. "Well Mulder, unless you've got something important to tell me, I need to finish getting ready."

"Call me when you get in?"

"What are you my father?"

"You're in New York Scully. Do you have any idea what kind of weirdoes are running around there?"

"They aren't any weirder then the one I work with."

"Very funny. I'm being serious Scully."

"Look Mulder, if it makes you feel any better I'm taking my weapon. Like I have a choice of leaving it here. Not to mention, I'm going out on the town with one of New York's elite."

"See I knew it was a guy."

"Can't fool you." She snickered.

"Call me?"

"Ok."

"Have fun." Mulder said his goodbyes and Scully hung up. She looked at the clothes she'd packed. Among them her favorite pair of low slouch Levi's. They were well worn, but no one could tell. She pulled on a white long sleeve shirt, over her black bra. Just as she'd expected, the material was thick enough the bra was basically hidden. She returned to the bathroom to brush her teeth, fix her hair, and do the last minute things.

* * *

><p>Olivia stood inside the hotel's lobby and saw a few faces she recognized from the seminars she'd been to earlier in the day. She quickly found the elevator and got on. When the doors opened on the third floor she wondered if she was doing the right thing. Easily finding Scully's room she stood outside the door, mentally reciting her hellos. Finally she found the courage to knock.<p>

Scully opened the door and Olivia found herself speechless. The slightly shorter woman was wearing the perfect pair of jeans; they hung on her hips just right. Her white shirt hugged her upper body and was tucked neatly in those perfect jeans. Olivia would swear she were the poster child for a Calvin Klein commercial.

"Olivia?" Scully said for the second time.

Olivia shook her head. "Hey."

"Are you ok?"

"I'm great." Olivia smiled.

"Come on in, while I grab my stuff." Scully lead her into the room. "Sorry about the outfit but you did say casual, and well, I'm living out of a suit case this week."

"It's perfect." Olivia opened her coat, revealing an almost near match of Scully's outfit. The only difference was the cut of the jeans, and Olivia's shirt being gray.

Scully laughed, as she picked up her holster. "Right down to the choice of weapon. So where are we going?"

"Have you ever been to New York before?"

"A couple times on assignment, but never when I had any time for myself."

"Good, I'm going to show you the town."

"I was hoping you were going to say that." Scully shrugged into her brown leather jacket. "Think I'll be warm enough?"

"You might want to bring gloves and a scarf."

"Right."

Olivia let Scully lead the way to the elevator so she could enjoy the view. She figured it might be the only chance she had to check the agent out from that end tonight. Once outside, Scully wrapped the scarf around her for added protection from the cold.

"Are you starving, or do you want to check out Rockefeller Center first?"

"Rockefeller Center sounds great."

"Ok. You up to walking?"

"After being cramped up all day, definitely." Scully fell into step beside Olivia.

They entered Rockefeller Center and watched as some kids skated around on the ice. A few teenage couples held hands as they glided effortlessly around the rink.

Scully observed the delight in which she watched the people on the ice. "Olivia, do you have any kids?"

"No." She frowned momentarily. "Never really had the chance I guess. Single my whole life. Dating guys and working SVU just doesn't seem to jive. Everything's going perfect, and then they ask about my job. The ones that aren't heading out the door are asking to hear more. It's sick really. How about you?"

Scully thought about how best to answer the almost loaded question. "Not really, and it isn't very promising. It's a long story."

"Ever married? Dating anyone now?"

"No to both. Agent Mulder keeps us so busy running from one lead to the next; I have little time left for a social life. Besides, the last real date I had tried to throw me in a furnace."

"You're kidding?"

"I'm not."

"You sound like you lead a very interesting life Dana."

"I guess in some ways I do, and in other ways it is far less."

"Hungry?"

"Starved."

"Good, I know the perfect place. You do eat meat, right?"

"Yes." Scully smiled.

"Just checking."

* * *

><p>When they reached Joe's Grill, Olivia opened the door and let Scully in. Joe was standing behind the bar and saw Olivia the second she entered.<p>

"Hey Benson, how's it going?"

"Great Joey! How are the kids?"

"They're growing like weeds. You should come by, they ask about you all the time."

"I'll try and stop by the house next week, 'k?"

"Sure, you know where it is. What can I get you?"

"Do you trust me to order for you?" Olivia asked.

"Sure."

"We'll take two specials, extra cheese."

"Coming right up. You taking your usual spot?"

"No, actually I think we're going to take the quiet corner." Olivia pointed the way for Scully.

"Sally'll be over in a few to get your drink orders."

"Thanks Joey." Olivia followed Scully to the table and they both removed their coats before sitting.

"So what's the special?"

"The best Philly cheese steak sub ever, with bacon, lettuce and tomato. It's so good it'll melt in your mouth." Olivia bit her tongue not to say she would too.

"You know the owner?"

"Yeah. I'd been coming here about a year when his wife was brutally raped and murdered. He was left with three kids all under the age of five. They are the cutest little angels."

"Did you catch the case?"

"Yeah, it was horrible. We caught the guy, and he's serving a life sentence. Doesn't bring their mom back though."

"Yeah, some days you just wonder what good is justice when people still walk around with scars."

"True."

"Hey Olivia, are you on the clock tonight?" Sally walked up.

"Aren't I always?"

"Hey New York never sleeps, why should you? What can I get you ladies to drink?"

"I'll take a root beer." Olivia looked at Scully who ordered the same.

Their orders arrived, along with their drinks. Scully took one bite and had to agree with Olivia. "This is definitely the best Philly cheese steak I've ever had."

"Better then sex?"

"A close second I'm sure."

"Well, maybe third. Chocolate's gotta fit in there some where." Olivia smiled as Scully licked cheese off her bottom lip. Her heart beat faster. There were times when Scully would be thinking and a sliver of tongue would slide across her lips, or they would part just enough so Olivia could see her tongue dancing over her teeth. She couldn't quiet put into words what that simple habit did to her. Her train of thought was thrown off track when she noticed Scully's expression. The conversation was about to turn serious.

"So, why sex crimes?" The instant she saw the pain flash in Olivia's dark eyes, Scully regretted asking.

"Somebody's got to do it." She answered simply.

"I guess, but I think there's more to it than that." She didn't want to push, but if she could help.

"Why go to med school and then become a federal agent?"

"Best of both worlds. I get to practice forensic pathology and carry a gun."

Olivia chuckled, but it wasn't her usual warmhearted laugh and somehow Scully knew this.

"It was something different, something exciting." Scully said thoughtfully. "You never really answered my question."

Olivia pushed her empty plate away. She contemplated telling her the story. What difference would it make? She'd probably never see or hear from Dana Scully after this week. But it was the fear of knowing it just might make the agent tuck tail and run that had her hesitating.

"If it's too personal, or you don't want to talk about it, it's fine."

Olivia looked at her watch, and almost simultaneously her phone rang. Saved by the bell? It was Elliot, which could only mean one thing, work. She didn't even say hello. "Where are you?"

"At home."

"Where do you need me to go?"

"This isn't an official call."

"Stop smiling Elliot."

"How'd you know?"

"I can hear it in your voice."

"So where are you?"

"Joe's place."

"Alone?"

Olivia looked at Scully. "No."

"Alex?"

"Elliot, you know not. Now stop it."

"Is she?"

"No."

"Dana's not interested?"

"Is the pope Baptist?" Olivia watched Scully arch an eyebrow.

"No, and don't pick on the pope."

"Then there's your answer."

"She's Catholic."

"What's that got to do with anything?"

"Just an observation."

"So, are you still interested?"

"You're interrupting."

"I thought she wasn't interested?"

"I don't know, I didn't ask."

"You mean, you don't just get it over with and ask?"

"Elliot, I don't want to play twenty questions. If this isn't an official call, I'm hanging up."

"You're no fun."

"Byeee." Olivia disconnected the call and pocketed her phone.

"The pope's Baptist?"

"Elliot's Catholic, I do it to irritate him. You're Catholic too, right?"

Scully fingered the tiny cross hanging from her neck. "It's my faith, yes. You?"

"Still searching." Olivia finished off her root beer. "Look, it's getting late and my place is just around the corner. Why don't we hang out there for a little while? We can finish our conversation and I'll take you back to the hotel."

"You're not going to attack me and try to throw me in your furnace are you?" Scully smiled.

"You're really going to have to tell me this story." Olivia stood up and pulled her jacket on.

"I'll give you the extremely shortened version." Scully followed her out of the establishment while pulling on her gloves. "I was following a lead for my partner while he was on vacation. I met this good-looking guy named Ed, who'd recently gotten a tattoo on his arm. It had the most amazing red I've ever seen in a tattoo. So he asks me out to dinner and I take him up on the offer. I'm so intrigued by his tattoo that when he says 'If you're so interested get your own.' I do."

"You have a tattoo?" Olivia asked in disbelief, as she led the way to her apartment.

"Yes, same red pigment was used. The next morning I wake up to an empty apartment."

"You slept with him?"

Scully shook her head no. "I slept over. The weather was bad. Anyway he had gone to get breakfast, and while he was gone the local PD showed up. A girl in the downstairs apartment had been murdered. Turns out Ed, the guy I went out with killed her. There was an impurity in the ink used and it caused auditory hallucinations. He thought his tattoo was talking to him. I was going to get him to a hospital for treatment, when he figured out I was FBI his tattoo told him to attack me. In the midst of the fight I lost consciousness. Hit a wall too hard or something. When I came to I was in the basement of his apartment building, wrapped in a sheet. The furnace door was open and since I was not about to let him throw me in, he burned his arm. I guess he was trying to get the woman on his arm to shut up."

"You're serious?"

"Yep, it's all on file at the J. Edgar Hoover building. I've even got the tattoo to prove it."

"So did your tattoo talk to you?" Olivia couldn't stop grinning.

"No, there was so little dye used in my tattoo that it had no effect on me."

"We're here." Olivia announced when they reached her apartment building.

Olivia opened the door and walked in. She tossed her jacket on the couch and headed for the kitchen. "Hot chocolate, coffee, water, grape juice?"

"Hot chocolate sounds good." Scully closed the door and took in her surroundings. It was a cute little apartment, fairly well kept. She heard the microwave running in the other room as she pulled off gloves and shoved them in her coat pocket.

"Make yourself comfortable." Olivia smiled as she returned to the living room and picked her coat up off the couch. "Can I take yours?"

Scully slipped out of her coat and handed it to Olivia, who hung the coats up and headed back to the kitchen. She came out a few minutes later with two mugs of steaming cocoa, topped with whipped cream and cinnamon. Scully was still standing in the living room taking everything in. Olivia laughed lightly. "Make yourself comfortable."

"Thanks." Scully smiled, and moved around to the couch. She sat down and took the offered mug from Olivia's outstretched hand. As their fingers brushed, Scully couldn't help but feel the tingle the brief touch offered her. She brought the cup to her lips and tasted the smooth cocoa.

"Mmmm." Scully didn't stop the sigh of approval from escaping her lips, which caught her off guard. She was usually so posed, so controlled.

"It's Giradelli, I wouldn't have any other."

"It's delicious, and I like the personal touch. The cinnamon adds just the right twist."

"Thanks." Olivia held her mug between her hands warming her fingers.

As they sipped the steaming beverage they began talking about other things, giving Olivia the luxury of avoiding Scully's earlier inquisition. They discussed Scully's family and some of her history with the FBI. The story of Ed and the tattoo had really sparked Olivia's interest. They moved on to favorite sports. Olivia had played soccer in high school and was able to go to college on a full soccer scholarship. Scully had played volleyball. She explained that recently Mulder had gotten her into baseball, well at least in hitting baseballs and she occasionally would go to the batting cage after a particularly bad case. Something her partner didn't even know about her. After discussing favorite movie genres, Scully glanced at her watch.

"It's already after twelve." She sighed, not wanting to leave just yet. They were having such a good time, and learning so much about each other.

Feeling the same way, Olivia smiled. "Why don't you stay here? I've got a sleeper in here."

Scully watched her pat the couch, and grinned. "You know I have nothing to sleep in."

"Nothing's fine." Olivia said without thinking. She caught the intriguing look Scully gave her, as her tongue snaked over her bottom lip. "I've got something that should be fine. If you'll follow me, I'll see what I've got for you to sleep in."

"Ok." Scully followed her down the hall to the bedroom.

Olivia pulled open a drawer and pulled out two pairs of plaid flannel pants. One was green and navy with a touch of white, the other purple, green and navy. She handed the first pair to Scully and then pulled out a thick green t-shirt, keeping a navy one for her self. "That should do. Bathroom's across the hall."

After Scully changed she neatly folded her clothes and laid them on the dresser in Olivia's now empty room. She found her way back to the living room. Olivia was sitting with one leg curled under her on the couch, she laughed at the rolled up pant legs, and shirtsleeves. "Sorry, they're a little big."

"They're comfortable, that's all that matters." Scully sat opposite her on the couch, and curled both legs under her.

Olivia sat there thoughtfully trying to decide just how much to tell her new friend. She really hadn't planned on telling her at all, but something about Dana Scully made Olivia want to trust her with her darkest secret. "I really don't know what you want to hear."

Scully looked up at her surprised until she saw slightest hint of pain dancing behind brown eyes. "Oh, that. Olivia, you don't have to tell me anything, if you don't want to. I understand. We hardly know each other."

"It's not a matter of wanting to, it's a matter of not wanting to scare you off."

"Why would you scare me off?" Fear gripping at her insides as she realized she'd left her sidearm in Olivia's bedroom.

"There aren't many people who know this about me, it's not something I share with just anyone. But I find myself trusting you. I'm just not sure what it is you want to know."

"The truth, and whatever you are willing to share." Scully settled back, fearing nothing but the pain in Olivia's eyes.

"I really don't know why I decided to become a cop. Guess I wanted to help people, and all I really wanted to do was make detective. I graduated from Sienna and joined the NYPD, when I made detective I worked homicide for a year before a position came open in SVU. I jumped at it. And there are really several reasons, but I guess they all hinge on one." Olivia promised not to cry, as she sat her mug on the coffee table. "My mom was raped."

When Scully didn't say anything Olivia looked up to see the most patient understanding eyes looking back at her. Scully didn't know what to say, and she felt there was more Olivia needed to say. She placed her empty mug beside Olivia's, and in the process slid a little closer to her.

"I," Olivia choked back the tears and looked away. She took a deep breath and gathered the courage to go on. "I watched what that did to my mom. The years of torment she lived through. Never trusting men, never getting past one or two dates. She turned to alcohol as a friend. I hate the man who did that to her."

She felt a hand touch her shoulder. "It's ok to hate someone for hurting your mother."

"I hate him." Olivia repeated. "I hate him for hurting her. I hate him for hurting me. I hate my own father."

Scully pulled Olivia against her chest and held her while she sobbed. After several minutes Olivia spoke again. "Dana. I am a product of that rape."

She didn't say anything, only held her tighter as a new wave of tears over took her.

* * *

><p>When Olivia heard her alarm go off the next morning she was surprised to find she wasn't in her bedroom. And her couch was bonier than she'd remembered it. It was then that she realized someone's arms were around her. Dana, it hadn't been a dream, she was real.<p>

Olivia carefully extracted herself from the protective arms. Even asleep, Scully held that quality about her. Careful not to wake her, she went to the bedroom to quiet the alarm. Scully was still sound asleep when she returned. Olivia took the mugs to the kitchen and started breakfast. Her morning exercise routine would have to wait for another day. One in which a beautiful woman wasn't sleeping on her couch. She really hadn't expected her to stay the night, especially after what she'd told her. Too many times she'd been left alone to cry. Her eyes were still a little puffy from a night of tears. While waiting for the oven to preheat, she threw some cold water on her face.

Scully awoke to the smell of frying bacon. She lay there for a minute with eyes closed. She realized she wasn't in her bed, wasn't in a bed at all. A couch? Mulder's couch? No, Mulder didn't cook. Her eyes jerked open when she remembered something about New York and a lecture.

"I was just coming to wake you." Olivia stood at the foot of the couch with a plate of bacon, eggs and biscuits in one hand, a glass of orange juice in the other. "Dana? Are you alright?"

Scully looked at her watch, it was just six. Her lecture wasn't until sometime around ten. It was all coming back to her now. Where she was, and why she was there. "Yeah, I'm fine."

"I made you breakfast." Olivia sat it on the coffee table while Scully sat up. She looked so cute with her morning flyaway hair, and oversized PJs.

"Thanks." She reached for the orange juice while Olivia went to retrieve her own.

They ate in silence, and when Scully had cleared her plate she turned to face Olivia. "Thanks for breakfast, it was wonderful."

Olivia nodded. "No problem."

"How are you this morning?"

"I'm fine." Olivia wouldn't look at her.

"Do you regret sharing that part of yourself with me?"

"You'll leave at the end of the week, we'll never see each other again. What's to regret?"

"Is that why you told me?"

Olivia heard the hurt in Scully's voice, and felt her move further away on the couch. "No."

"Is that what you believe? That we'll never see each other again?"

"Maybe."

"Your choice or mine?"

"Yours."

"Really?" The hurt in her voice was tearing at Olivia's soul, but she couldn't say anything. She still held her fork and twirled it aimless between her fingers. Scully broke the momentary silence. "If you didn't tell me because you thought I'd be someone you knew for a week of your life, then why did you tell me?"

Olivia didn't answer the question, instead she asked one of her own. "Do you regret asking?"

"When I first asked, in the grill I did. There was a flash of something in your eyes, and while I wanted to know more, I didn't want to cause you pain."

"Do you regret knowing?" Olivia looked at her this time.

"No." There was no hesitation, no thought, just an answer. "And just so you know, I don't go home with just anyone who I've just met. Ed was a freak thing, the weather played a big role in that."

"And I'm just a freak." Olivia lightly stabbed the fork into her leg.

"I didn't say that. Olivia, what I'm trying to tell you is;" Scully sighed. "I don't know why I came here last night. I'm not one who makes friends easily. I don't let just anyone into my life, and I don't think you do either. I don't think you actually believed you would never see me again after this week, and if you did then I am sorry I seemed to have misjudged your character."

When Olivia didn't respond, Scully stood up and took her plate to the kitchen. Olivia had already cleaned up the other dishes, so Scully washed her plate before putting it in the rack to dry. That done she walked through the living room, glancing at the couch only long enough to note Olivia hadn't moved. She found her clothes and changed in the bathroom. When she returned to the living room Olivia looked up.

"I had a lot of fun last night, more fun than I could have dreamt, considering why I'm in town. You actually made me glad my partner ditched me to stay home." Scully found her coat.

"Where are you going?" Olivia asked, already knowing the answer.

"Back to the hotel, I need to review my lecture and get a shower."

"I told you, I would get you back in time. Give me fifteen minutes to shower and dress."

Scully pulled her coat on, and put her hand on the doorknob. "Olivia, you're a special woman. Take care of yourself."

With that she was gone, and Olivia couldn't find the strength to run after her. She knew there had been no advances made from either side. Even though her heart was breaking she knew that above all else the only thing she was losing was a chance for a great friendship. Besides they had known each other less than twenty-four hours. So why did it hurt so badly? Olivia cried.

"Hello?" Her voice cracked as she answered the phone.

"Liv, are you ok?" It was Elliot and he knew she'd been crying.

"Fine."

"You told her?"

"What?" Olivia asked. Elliot knew it was one of her deepest secrets shared with only special people.

"Did she stay the night?" He decided to let the other question rest.

"She just left, ten minutes ago. And get your mind out of the gutter."

"So you didn't sleep together?"

"What kind of woman do you take me for?"

"Definitely not a one night fling woman."

"Good, besides I don't think she's…" Her voice trailed off.

"Then why are you crying?"

"I'm not crying."

"Ok, Ms. 'I never cry.' Are you still going to the seminars today?"

"I don't know."

"Olivia what happened?"

"Nothing. Elliot, I've got to go."

"Will I see you today?"

"I might be late, but I'll be there." She hung up, and went to put on her running clothes. It was later than she usually went to the gym, but she had to work things out in her head.

* * *

><p>"Hello?" Scully's hotel phone was ringing the second she walked in. She hoped it was Olivia.<p>

"Scully, you're alive!"

"Of course I'm alive Mulder."

"You were supposed to call when you got in."

"Considering I just walked in the door, I haven't had time."

"Scully, you didn't get another tattoo did you?"

"Actually Mulder I did, it's a big gray Alien with the words 'trust no one' under it."

"I'm serious Scully."

"Mulder, I'm fine. And no, I didn't get a tattoo."

"'Trust no one' huh? What'd he do to you?"

"Why is it that if I went out on the town, it had to be a guy?"

"It wasn't a guy? You sounded giddy last night, thought it had to be a crush."

"You thought wrong."

"Ok Scully, I'll admit I was wrong. But you have to tell me why you're so upset."

"I'm not upset Mulder." She bit back a little too hard.

"You're upset Scully."

"Look I thought I had made a friend."

"And?" He knew how hard it was to get to Scully. It was almost as hard as making her friends list.

"Either she is punishing herself for something she has no control over, or I totally misjudged her character."

"Well Scully, if it's any consolation, I've never known you to misjudge anyone's character. So what's she punishing herself for?"

"I don't know that she is, it's just a theory."

"Based on?"

"Something she trusted me enough to tell me, so I can't really say."

"Good enough. Are you ready for your lecture?"

"After I shower and put on some clothes."

"You're not wearing any clothes? Why didn't you tell me sooner?"  
>"I'm wearing clothes Mulder. But I should go get ready."<p>

"Do me a favor first?"

"What?"

"Turn your cell phone back on and leave it on."

"Sorry." She mumbled before hanging up.

* * *

><p>Scully scanned the room and didn't see either detective. Either they had gone to another seminar, since her lecture was geared more toward Medical Examiners, or Olivia had decided not to come back after all. The lecture wasn't scheduled to start for another ten minutes, and Scully gave up on hoping the detective would show. She started getting her things situated for the lecture.<p>

Elliot and Alex stood in the lobby talking, they had expected Olivia to show up in the middle of the first seminar but she hadn't. They were just about to go into the room set up for the forensic pathology seminar, when Alex spotted her. "Olivia, over here."

"What are you doing here?"

"Arthur told me to check out the line up today. Things are even slow in homicide."

"We were just getting ready to go in." Elliot pointed at the sign. "Unless you wanted to catch the other lecture."

"Let's see, dead bodies or cleaning guns. Cleaning guns, or dead bodies? I just can't decide." Alex laughed as Olivia stated 'dead bodies' and entered the conference room.

They all three looked to the podium where Scully was preoccupied with getting things ready. Alex had wanted to see her again ever since lunch the previous day. She didn't know what it was, but she felt the tension building in Olivia as she watched the proficient agent. "You ok?"

"I'm fine." Olivia looked at the beautiful blonde and smiled. Last night was the first night she hadn't thought about Alex, or dreamt of her. Now she would be glad to replace the images of Dana with those of Alex, but she couldn't. She still loved Alex the same way she always had, she couldn't bear to lose her. But those were the exact same feelings she had for Dana, and she was losing her.

"Is this good?" Elliot asked pointing to three empty chairs together.

"Perfect." Alex sat on the aisle seat getting the best view. Olivia sat beside her and slouched down in the chair until she couldn't be seen from the podium. Elliot gave her a funny look before sitting beside her.

"I'm getting the best position to catch a nap."

"You're hiding." He whispered. "I don't know what happened, but she's looking for you Liv."

Olivia slid down further in the seat. She didn't see Scully mouth "Is she here," or her partner nodding. She was relieved when the lecture started. She closed her eyes and listened to Agent Scully's voice as it bounced around the room. She was obviously pacing while she lectured. Time flew and before she knew it, Scully was asking if there were any questions. Several hands flew up, including Olivia's.

"Detective Benson?" Scully pointed up to her.

Olivia played it cool. "My partner and I work SVU, and you touched briefly on genetics. In our work we've come across the defense of 'My father was a rapist, therefore I inherited the gene and I am a rapist.' I think homicide could say they've heard the same thing in different context. 'My mother was a serial killer therefore I am a serial killer.' Doesn't matter if they grew up knowing the parent, they inherited the gene therefore it stands to reason they could become like their parents. What's your view on the subject?"

Alex seemed oblivious to Olivia's line of questioning, but Elliot knew exactly what she was doing. Either way Agent Scully was walking a thin line. "While I'm not a geneticist, I have heard the arguments both for and against. I have to tell you, it's a good defense if you're guilty and facing the death penalty, it's also a cop out defense. There is no solid scientific proof that evil is inherent. I don't buy it for a minute. My partner who is a renowned criminal profiler, known for his sometimes outlandish beliefs doesn't buy it either."

Olivia stood up and left when Scully moved on to the next question. Elliot tried to follow but he couldn't find her, so he returned.

"Where'd she go?" Alex asked when he returned.

"I don't know."

Agent Scully turned down the remaining questions announcing it was time to break for lunch. Alex and Elliot found their way down the isle and waited while Scully finished talking with a colleague.

"Would you like to grab a bite?" Alex asked when Scully turned toward them.

"I'd love too Alex, but I'm afraid it really would be an intrusion today."

Elliot put his hand on Alex's arm to prevent her from insisting the agent join them. "We need to find Olivia."

"Right." Alex followed his lead, and Scully finished gathering her things.


	2. Catching a Case

Where Walls Once Stood

2/8 Catching a Case

When Scully stepped out of the elevator onto her floor, she saw the familiar figure of Detective Benson leaning against her door. Her arms were folded across her chest, and she stared straight ahead. "Can I help you?"

Olivia pushed away from the door as Scully approached, letting her arms drop to her side. "Can we talk?"

Scully put the card key in the door and opened it. "You need to call your partner, he's worried about you."

Olivia pulled out her cell phone and dialed.

Scully held the door open. "Coming in?"

Olivia nodded and stepped inside. "Hey Elliot."

"Liv, where are you?"

"Taking care of something."

"Are you going to be ok?"

"I hope so."

"Alex and I are going to lunch, she wants to talk to you."

"Have her call me later."

"Are you coming back to the seminar?"

"Don't look for me. If I do, I'll find you."

Scully was in the bathroom when Olivia hung up, so she sat on the edge of the bed. A few minutes later Scully came out with her skirt and hose in her hands, clad in jeans and her dress shirt. She hung the skirt up and pulled out a three-quarter length black cotton shirt. "You wanted to talk?"

Olivia tried not to stare as Scully unbuttoned her shirt; after all they were both women. "Yeah."

Scully turned slightly as she let her blouse fall to the floor, and pulled the other shirt on.

"You weren't kidding about the tattoo." Olivia noted the snake on her left flank, along with the well-defined muscles of Scully's back. She could definitely hold her own.

"I wouldn't have lied to you." Scully picked up the discarded blouse and hung it up.

"I know." Olivia said softly.

"Look Detective Benson," Scully spun around to face her. The tone of her voice caused Olivia to jump. "I don't know what you're afraid of, but it shouldn't be me. I don't take my friendships lightly."

Olivia didn't say anything, and Scully lay on the unoccupied double bed, waiting for Olivia to do something. Finally she spoke. "I 'm sorry Dana."

The room fell silent again. After few moments Scully spoke. "Why?"

Olivia looked at her with confusion masking her face.

"What are you sorry for?"

Olivia looked at her watch. "Are you going back to the seminar?"

"Hadn't really planned on it."

"I'm starved, you?"

Scully shook her head no. "You're avoiding my question."

"I am, let's get out of here."

Scully didn't move as Olivia stood up. She walked over and sat beside her on the bed. "I didn't mean to hurt you this morning."

"You said you didn't tell me because you didn't think we'd still be friends after this week, but you never told me why you did."

"I did last night. I trusted you."

"You trusted me, but you didn't think I'd still be your friend after this week?"

"My own insecurities." Olivia shrugged.

"I don't take you as the insecure type."

"Professionally I'm not." Olivia knew Scully was the same way.

"So what do you see happening when this week is over?"

Olivia shrugged.

"Do you think we'll just go about our lives as if we never met? Do you think we'll keep in touch, telephone calls, and email? Or forget our friendship except at Christmas time?"

"I don't know."

"Ok. Then what do you want to happen?"

"Look I didn't invite you out last night, because you were in New York alone if that's what you think."

The phone rang, and Scully rolled to her side to reach for it. Her stomach rested against Olivia's thigh, and Olivia closed her eyes in thought for a moment.

"Scully."

"It's me."

"Of course, who else would it be?"

"The unnamed detective."

"No."

"How come?"

Scully rolled her eyes. "Did you call for a reason?"

The line went dead and Scully realized she had pulled the phone cord out. "Opps!" She giggled, moving away from Olivia's thigh. She plugged the phone back in.

"I've got to go to the bathroom, if my partner calls back could you answer it?"

"Um, sure." Olivia shrugged, and no sooner then Scully closed the door the phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Who is this?"

"Detective Olivia Benson, and I could ask you the same."

"Special Agent Fox Mulder. What'd you do to my partner?"

"What's so special about you?"

"It's a title, lemme talk to Scully."

"She's busy."

"Are you the Detective she went out with last night?"

"Yes."

"Well Detective Benson, you'd better watch your step with my partner or you'll have to answer to me?"

"Is that a threat Agent Mulder?" Olivia looked up as Scully came back into the room.

"That's Special Agent Mulder, and it's a promise Detective."

"Mulder cut the crap." Scully was back on the line. "And leave her alone."

"I don't want anyone hurting you."

"I don't need your help with this Mulder, now did you call for some reason other than harassing my friend?"  
>"I called to see how your lecture went, and to tell you to turn your cell phone on."<p>

"My lecture went great, you should have been here. And I'll turn my cell phone on when I'm ready to turn it on."

"Skinner tried calling you."

"What now?"

"He just wanted to see how things were going."

"Well, I couldn't have it on during the lecture."

"But it's still off."

"Mulder, I'm in the middle of something."

"Oh."

"Don't give me that!"

"What?"

"That hurt little boy act. You know damn well you should have come up here with me this week. Now just because you've got nothing to do in Washington, doesn't mean you have to call me every five minutes to see if I've turned on my cell phone."

"Sorry."

"Mulder?"

"Bye."

"Mulder! Don't hang up."

"What?"

"I'm sorry."

"I just miss you. I mean I haven't seen your ugly mug since you left the office on Friday."

"Ugly mug?"

"If I said anything else you might nail me for sexual harassment."

"Oh, you'd love that wouldn't you?"

"When can I call back?"

"I don't know, try my cell around ten tonight. But if anything comes up it'll be on after I hang up."

"Anything?"

"Anything important. Don't call because you're OJ is expired." Scully hung up and reached for her cell phone. "Sorry Olivia, my partner can be a little too protective sometimes."

"You think?"

"We've been through a lot together." That was the understatement of the century. "I think you and I are on the same page."

"We are?"

"I don't take my friendships lightly. So either we're in this for the long haul, or we say goodbye now."

"Ok." Olivia stood up and started to walk away.

"What, you're not even going to say good bye?"

Olivia ignored her as she pulled Scully's coat out of the closet and tossed it to her. "Nope. Let's go eat."

She couldn't help but smile as she pulled on her coat. Olivia was grinning from ear to ear.

Scully drove the bureau rental she had for the week, and they decided to just go back to Olivia's house and order Chinese.

* * *

><p>Olivia changed into jeans and a Sienna sweatshirt, when she came out Scully was shutting the door. "That was quick."<p>

"They knew you were hungry." Scully sat the bags down on the coffee table. There was enough to feed and army. They'd ordered sweet and sour chicken, general Tao's chicken, beef and broccoli, egg rolls, and fried rice. When they opened their fortune cookies they'd barely made a dent in all the food. Olivia started laughing when she read hers.

"What's so funny?"

"We have this tradition, kind of carried over from my college days. Anytime you read your fortune, you add in bed at the end."

"So what's your fortune?"

"You will make a lifetime friend." Olivia couldn't add the in bed part when she read it to Scully.

"Well," Scully sighed. "I don't know about the in bed part, but the rest of it's true."

"What's yours say?"

"It's pretty broad. Interesting things will happen."

"In bed." Olivia added with a smile. There was that tongue snaking between her lips again. Olivia started gathering the half eaten containers of food.

"Let me help you."

"I've got it. I'm just going to toss it in the fridge."

They were sitting on the couch talking, when there was a knock at the door. Olivia looked at the clock above her entertainment center it was just after seven. Had they been talking that long?

Olivia got up to answer the door. "Alex, what are you doing here?"

"I was worried about you, when you didn't come back."

"I just had some things to take care of."

"I'm sorry, you've got company. I didn't mean to interrupt." Alex had changed out of the dress suit she was wearing earlier in the day. She was wearing a blue Lycra shirt and jeans. Olivia thought she looked wonderful.

"You're not interrupting. Dana and I were just talking, join us." Olivia almost pulled her into the apartment. "Let me take your coat. Make yourself comfortable."

"Hi, Alex." Dana blushed slightly, and Olivia wondered if she should have invited Alex in after all.

"I enjoyed your lecture today." Alex commented as she settled in to the armchair.

"Thanks. I really wish I'd had more time. To be honest, I could spend the whole week doing lectures and still feel I needed more time. There are so few ME's out there with the proper forensic training. Of course I think the major US cities are the lucky ones, because they can afford to hire the best."

"Our ME is pretty competent." Olivia curled her right leg under her as she sat back on the couch.

"What's her take on the 'inherited rape' gene?" Scully asked.

Olivia looked at Alex and shrugged. "I don't think we asked her when it came up."

"No." Alex said thoughtfully. "I was shocked they tried to pull that one."

"How did the jury find?"

"Guilty," Olivia answered before Alex could. "I sat in on the case, but a lot of people bought the inherent gene."

"I think evil is taught."

"How can you explain someone who doesn't grow up around a such behavior doing these things?"

"Olivia, I don't think I need to tell you there is evil everywhere. You turn on the TV, walk down the street, kids in school. Don't even get me started."

"But what makes one person a rapist and another not. Or one person violent and another not?"

"It's a choice. We chose to do good, or not."

"Right." Alex spoke up. "I was reading a report where this guy tried to use the gene defense in the murder of his wife. His father was abusive; therefore he was abusive. The defense attorney also tried to blame environment, but the guy had a brother who was a year younger. Grew up under the same circumstances and he had never been violent."

The phone rang and Olivia reached over to answer it. "Hello?"

"I'll be right down." She hung up. "That was dispatch, I've got to go."

Scully stood up, but Olivia stopped her. "Please stay here 'til I get back. It's got to be more comfortable than your hotel room."

"I'll stay and keep you company for a little while." Alex offered.

"Thanks Alex." Olivia smiled as Scully sat back down.

"I thought Elliot was first call tonight?" Alex asked while Olivia put her holster back on.

"He's already out on a call."

"Two scenes? Guess I'll be busy tomorrow." Alex sighed.

"I'll call if I'm going to be later than ten." Olivia shut the door behind her.

"I hate that." Scully mumbled.

"Getting called out to a scene?"

"Yeah, except my partner tends to do it in the middle of the night, and it isn't always a clear cut crime."

"What do you mean?"

"My partner has a thing for the paranormal. We get a lot of difficult to explain cases."

"Paranormal, aliens, ghosts and such?"

"That would be it."

"Do you believe that stuff?"

"Not entirely. My partner would tell you I am a one hundred percent bonafide skeptic. But I'll admit I've see things over the years that I can't deny. I can't explain them with science, but I still can't deny them."

They talked about their education backgrounds, work history, and family. At ten o'clock both Olivia's house phone and Scully's cell phone started ringing. "I'll get Olivia's."

Scully nodded as she pulled her mobile out. "Scully."

"It's me."

"Mulder?"

"Were you expecting the pope?"

"You sound funny."

"I think I coming down with a head cold."

"Maybe that's it."

"So, are you with the detective?"

"No, the ADA." Scully watched as Alex talked on the phone.

"And is the ADA male or female?"

"Are you jealous Mulder?"

"You didn't answer my question."

"And you're avoiding mine."

"Answer mine so I can answer yours."

"Is that anything like 'show me yours and I'll show you mine'?" Scully watched Alex hang up.

"Come on Scully." He pleaded. "Give me a name at least."

"Female Mulder, ok?"

"Ok, and I am not jealous."

"And if I'd said male?"

"We'd have to talk."

"Give it up Mulder. You've got your videos and I've got," Scully stopped short.

"What have you got Scully?"

"Nothing, I've got nothing."

"Hey, I didn't mean to upset you." Mulder apologized, hearing her heart break over the line. "Besides you've always got me."

"That's the problem Mulder."

"What?"

"Nothing. I've got to go, Alex just got a call and she's waiting for me to hang up."

"What happened with Olivia?"

"Everything's cool, so you'd better leave her alone." Scully warned, then her tone softened. "She's out on a call."

"Ok, I'll let you go."

"That was Elliot." Alex announced, "He was calling to say Olivia was on her way home. I need to go though, early morning with all tonight's criminal activity."

"I understand. It's been fun getting to know you."

"Same here." Alex smiled as she pulled on her coat.

It wasn't long before Olivia came in the door and forced a smile. "Hey."

"Hey." Scully returned with concern. Olivia's sweatshirt was missing and she was in a scrub shirt from Mercy General. "I need to get out of these clothes and get a shower."

"Ok."

"Are you staying the night?"

"I hadn't planned to."

"Could you?" Olivia bit back against the tears that threatened to spill from her eyes.

"Sure."

"The pajamas you wore last night are still on my dresser."

Scully nodded. She changed while Olivia was in the bathroom, and as she passed the door she thought she heard Olivia crying in the shower. Ten minutes later Olivia walked in with wet hair clinging to her forehead, and sat down on the couch. A couple of minutes passed before Scully spoke. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"It was a hard call, and Elliot thinks the scenes are related." Olivia was almost running on automatic. "He arrived on scene and the ME estimated the time of death as four pm. The body was a ten-year-old girl, throat was slit, and she was dumped. There were signs of rape. When I arrived at the second scene the victim was still alive."

She stopped, the vision of the innocent child still fresh in her mind. Red hair, not unlike Scully's and the most hauntingly crystal green eyes she'd ever seen. "She was five. Her neck was slit, but not as deep as the first victim. There was nothing we could do. The paramedics arrived seconds after I did."

Scully slid to the center cushion of the couch, and slid a comforting arm around Olivia's shoulders. She lost it, and the tears made rivers down her cheeks. "She bled out, right there, in my arms. I couldn't do anything."

* * *

><p>Olivia rolled over and fell off the couch. She muffled an "ouch," and looked around. She'd done it again, cried her self to sleep in Scully's arms. They'd spent another night on the couch, which was too short for Olivia to stretch out on alone. The phone rang, and Olivia picked it up. "Hello?"<p>

"Hey, I was just calling to see if you were up."

"I'm, yeah, I'm up." She looked at Scully who was stirring on the couch. She put her hand over the receiver. "Sorry, didn't mean to wake you."

"You're fine." Scully smiled, realizing the thud she'd heard was Olivia hitting the floor.

"Is Dana there?"

"Yeah, she is."

"You know if she's not busy the rest of the week, we could use and extra person on the case. Munch and Fin caught another case yesterday afternoon."

"I'm not going to ask." Olivia watched Scully make her way to the bathroom.

"How are you doing this morning?"

"I'm fine."

"Ok, well I'll see you at the office."

Olivia hung up and went to the kitchen to heat up water for hot chocolate; Scully joined her when she was finished in the bathroom. "Coffee, or hot chocolate?"

"Hot chocolate's fine."

"Good, cause I don't have any coffee." Olivia smiled. "It looks like I'm not going to make the rest of the seminars this week after all."

"I kind of figured, duty calls."

"It does."

"You know, I don't want to over step my bounds here, but if you could use an another person on this."

"I couldn't ask you to put yourself through this."

"You're not asking, I'm offering. I am sure my supervisor would loan me to your department for the duration of the case. Besides, I've worked some pretty horrific child abduction cases before."

"I'll talk to the Captain, see what he says."

* * *

><p>"I don't need the FBI coming in and trying to tell me how to run a case." Cragen glared out the door at the agent. "You of all people."<p>

"It's not like that Captain. She doesn't want to take over. You know all the feds aren't jerks."

"All the ones I've dealt with have been." Cragen opened the door. "Agent Scully?"

Scully entered the office and was offered a seat. She glanced at Olivia as she sat down. "What is your interest in this case agent?"

"I'm just a warm body. All I want to do is help you and your team if you need it."

"Just to help out?"

"This is your case, I'm just here on loan."

"The last guy the FBI 'loaned' us is still hanging out here."

"Dr. Huang?" Scully inquired.

"Yes. But he is quite an asset."

"Well, that's all I hope to be on this case."

"Fine, we're wasting time here." Cragen led the way to the Squad room.

"Who's the babe?" Munch asked, a little louder then he meant.

""Detective Munch, this is Special Agent Scully. She's here to help Elliot and Olivia with their case."

"It's a conspiracy." He mumbled his hello.

"You want to talk conspiracy, I've got a partner you'd have a field day with."

"Really?" Munch asked.

"Don't get him started." A detective with a ponytail held out his hand. "I'm Odafin Tutuola, they call me Fin."

"Nice to meet you." Scully returned the hearty handshake, as Elliot hung up the phone.

"We've got another DB." It was late morning.

"That's three in under twenty-four." Cragen pointed out. "ME could probably use a hand."

"I'm on it." Scully replied, "Just point the way."

"You can ride with us, and meet her there." Elliot grabbed his coat and keys.

* * *

><p>"What've you got?" Olivia asked as they approached the ME.<p>

"Ten to eleven year old girl, slashed neck, no rigidity, signs of sexual trauma."

"Could you use some help in the morgue?" Elliot inquired.

"You volunteering?"

"Not in this life time. Agent Scully here is –"

"I know who she is." Warner interrupted Elliot. "I enjoyed your lecture yesterday, and if you're offering your services I'd be glad to take them."

"I am." Scully pulled on a pair of latex gloves. "Mind if I take a look?"

"Not at all." She stood up to give Scully room.

Scully looked over the body. "What was the condition of the other kids? Any ID made?"

"No, we're checking with missing persons, but there are a lot of kids out there." Elliot answered the second question.

"You can narrow it down to kids missing in the last twenty-four to forty-eight hours." The ME pointed out. "The other two kids were well dressed, clean. These aren't street kids, or runaways."

"My guess from this body," Scully looked up. "The perp is grabbing them, doing his thing and dropping them. Doubt he has them for more than twelve hours."

"Really?" Olivia wasn't sure if it was awe or disbelief she felt.

"What's this?" Agent Scully rolled the arm. "Did you notice puncture wounds in any of the other victims?"

"You know, I did. But wasn't sure of the correlation. The first vic had a puncture wound to the upper thigh; the second was in the deltoid area. Still waiting for the tox report."

Scully stood up. "If we're lucky they didn't feel too much."

Olivia shook her head.

"What is it Detective?" Scully asked.

"That little girl last night, she was lucid. Despite the blood loss, she knew what was going on."

Scully nodded.

"We're going to see if we can get an ID on any of these girls."

"Ok." Scully left with the ME.

Several hours later Elliot and Olivia showed up in the autopsy bay. "Where's Warner?"

"I sent her to get lunch. She was having a hypoglycemic attack, and I thought it best she take a break. We got the tox screen back."

"What'd you find?" Olivia asked.

"You're right, they are aware of what's happening. He's injecting them with a paralytic drug used during surgery, so they can't fight back. The horrible thing is, they feel everything he does to them. From reviewing the other bodies, and looking at this one, he repeatedly sodomized these girls. He sloppy though, and the lab's running his DNA as we speak."

"You think it's a doctor?" Elliot stepped around Olivia.

"No, the cuts aren't precise enough. The first victim's head was almost completely severed, a doctor or surgeon would be more exact in the cut."

"We've identified them all." Elliot held up his folder. "The first victim is ten year old Sandra Kesley. She was last seen leaving for school yesterday. Her parents reported her missing when she didn't return home. The school has her listed as absent."

"The second victim," Olivia picked up where he left off; "Is five year old Starling Meadows, she was playing with her older brother and their new puppy in central park. Mom turned her back for two seconds and she was gone. That was around three yesterday afternoon."

"This morning's victim," Elliot was speaking again, and Scully felt like she was watching a tennis match. "Is eleven year old Brine Lampe. Last seen this morning also on her way to school."

"Different schools." Olivia anticipated Scully's next question.

"Ok, let me finish up here and bring Warner up to speed. I'll meet you both back at the squad room in a couple hours."

* * *

><p>"I've got some new evidence and theories." Scully announced as she walked up to the whiteboard Olivia and Elliot were looking over.<p>

"There are barely noticeable restraint marks on the wrists and ankles of all three vics. Meaning he's probably using padded restraints of some sort. My theory is; he's using the paralytic to abduct the girls virtually unseen. He takes them back to his 'place,' does his thing, and dumps the bodies."

"There's nothing else we can do today." Elliot looked at his watch. "I'm going home and I'm hoping I don't get called."

"See you Elliot." Olivia turned back to Scully. "Dana, why don't you just stay with me the rest of your time here? I do have a pull out bed, not just a couch to sleep on."

"I really couldn't."

"Sure you could. Save the bureau some money and maybe they'll buy better coffee for the next convention."

Scully laughed. "I don't know."

"Hotel rooms are boring, besides you don't know anyone there. Plus I'm closer to the precinct."

"Fine, you twisted my arm."

* * *

><p>The next evening Scully sat on Olivia's couch. "If you were trolling for a victim, where would you go?"<p>

"You mean, if I were the perp?"

"Uh, huh." Scully nodded, pulling a loose thread out of her jeans.

"This time of year, I'd go to Rockefeller Center. Lots of kids there in the late afternoon, early evening."

"Right, so you want to go trolling for a perp?"

"Sure." Olivia grabbed her keys.

"I'll drive, let the FBI foot the bill." Scully grinned.

"I'm going to give Elliot a call, just to let him know what we're thinking."

"I'll go warm the car up." Scully shrugged into her coat.

"'Kay."

A few minutes later Olivia climbed into the car. "It's getting colder by the second."

"I know. What'd Elliot say?"

"He's going to met us."

* * *

><p>"Talk, dark, and not handsome at two o'clock." Scully muttered to the duo flanking her. "He's been eyeing the brunette in the pink tutu. She keeps smiling over at the young couple standing at 9 o'clock. Most likely her parents."<p>

"He's fingering something in his pocket." Olivia noted.

"I like him for it." Elliot stepped back and crossed behind Scully and Olivia.

"I'm going around the other way." Olivia headed around the rink, to head him off if he ran. Scully followed several feet behind Elliot.

"Excuse me sir?" Elliot grabbed the man's left elbow with one hand and flashed his badge with the other. "I just have a few questions."

In one swift movement the man removed his right hand from his coat and before Elliot couldn't pull away he felt the sharp sting of the hidden syringe. In the momentary shock that followed, the suspect pulled free and headed toward the fifth avenue entrance. Elliot was close behind, with Scully and Olivia on his heels.

When they reached Fifth Avenue, Elliot was close enough to reach out and grab him. Unfortunately that's exactly when the injection took hold of his body. Olivia and Scully watched as Elliot's body fell to the ground like a deflated balloon.

Luckily because of the cold, the sidewalk was fairly deserted and Scully pulled her gun. "Freeze, Federal Agent I'm armed."

Olivia dropped to her knees next to Elliot as a shot rang out into the night. Olivia knew it wasn't Dana's gun. Immediately Scully felt the sting in her upper arm. "Stay with Elliot. He's armed, I'm going after him."

"Dana, you're bleeding." She looked up from Elliot and saw the glimmer of something wet on Dana's coat sleeve.

"I'm fine." She started running in the direction he'd fled.

"Let him go." But Scully didn't listen, and Olivia jerked her mobile phone out of its pocket. "Damn it! You're going to be ok Elliot."

She checked him out while waiting for dispatch to pick up the line, at least he wasn't hit, but his respirations were shallow from the paralytic coursing through his system. "This is Olivia Benson, Manhattan SVU we've got shots fired. I need back up and two buses dispatched to the Fifth Avenue entrance of Rockefeller Center. My partner encountered an unknown substance and is unable to move, an FBI agent may have taken a minor hit."

"Help's on the way Elliot just keep breathing." Olivia was expecting to have to start rescue breathing any minute, but he was still breathing when the paramedics loaded him.

"I got here as soon as I could." Cragen flashed his badge and pushed past a few uniforms until he got to Olivia. "What happened?"

"We were playing a hunch, guy looked suspicious. Elliot approached and there was a struggle, which is when I think Elliot was injected. We reached the sidewalk and Elliot went down. Agent Scully pulled her gun, announcing she was a federal agent and armed. I heard a shot, she told me to stay with Elliot and went after him."

"Speak of the devil." Cragen pointed to the red head that stood talking to a uniform.

"It's SVU's case." Scully saw Olivia and Cragen walking toward her. "Captain Cragen, I lost him."

Olivia could see Dana mentally kicking herself. She'd been there before. "You did your best. You shouldn't have gone after him with out back up, especially considering he was armed and had already fired off one round."

"Yeah." Scully had been around Mulder too long and some things just came naturally.

"Were you hit?" Cragen asked.

"No." Scully watched, as he looked toward the tear in the left arm of her coat. "He got my jacket, that's all. How's Elliot?"

"He's en route to Mercy General." Olivia spoke up, eying Scully's arm. The lamplight was casting a funny shadow over it, and since the coat was black she thought maybe she'd imagined the blood earlier.

"Is there any way we can radio ahead? I need to let the doctor know what he's dealing with. If they can avoid intubating Elliot, it'll be best for everyone."

"Yeah." Cragen got on the horn and in a few seconds handed the radio to Scully. "It's Dr. Randolph, he's talking with the medics in route."

"Dr. Randolph this is Dr. Scully, I'm with the FBI. Detective Stabler was most likely injected with Pancuronium Bromide maximum duration is 120 to 160 minutes. If it would affect his respiratory muscles my suggestion would be to manually ventilate until the effects wear off. Thanks, we're on our way."

She turned to look at Olivia. "They are already manually ventilating him in the ambulance. Dr. Randolph made no promises to keep him off the vent. I told him we were on our way."

Olivia nodded. "I need to call Kathy."

"I'll call her. You two go."

"Thanks Cap." Olivia followed Scully who was already heading toward the car.

Olivia gave her directions to Mercy General. Dr. Randolph met them in the waiting room. "I had to intubate. We don't have the staff to manually ventilate. I kept the pressure settings low, and I've given him mild sedative."

"Yeah, I was thinking on the way over manually ventilating would be fine if it were shorted acting. Unfortunately risk of hyperinflation increases with manual ventilation. But recovery rate…"

"Like I said," Dr. Randolph interrupted. "I kept the pressures low."

"Can I see him?" Olivia questioned anxiously.

"Sure. Follow me."

"You coming." Olivia turned to face Scully.

"I need to take care of something, and someone needs to fill Cragen in when he gets here."

Olivia nodded and headed down the hall. Scully waited until she'd turned the corner to return to the car. Her briefcase was in the trunk and she had some gauze and tape there. Good thing her partner was a klutz. After putting the paraphernalia in her coat pocket, she went back inside and found the bathroom. She carefully removed her jacket and shirt. The wound was deep enough she would have sutured it if it was on someone else, but steri-strips would have to do the trick. She wiped the blood away with clean gauze and carefully pulled the edges of the wound together with the steri-strips. She was lucky it was just a flesh wound. She still didn't know what she was thinking when she took off after the suspect alone.

She cleaned the blood off her jacket and dried it as best she could with the hand dryer. When she returned to the waiting room Cragen was there talking to Olivia.

"Where were you?" Olivia asked.

"Bathroom."

Olivia eyed the hole in Scully's jacket again. She still could have sworn she saw blood earlier. "Kathy's mom is going to stay with the kids, and she's on her way here."

* * *

><p>"How'd you sleep?" Olivia asked as Scully sat up on the sofa bed.<p>

"Fine." She moved her leg a little so Olivia could sit down.

"You lied to Cragen and you lied to me." Olivia stared at the blood that had soaked through the arm of Scully's light blue pajama top.

She followed Olivia's gaze. "Yes, I lied to Cragen. I didn't lie to you. You never asked."

"I didn't think you would lie to Cragen."

"Normally I wouldn't. It's just a scratch, no big deal."

"Normally? So why did you?"

"He doesn't want the FBI coming in and taking over this case. It goes on the record and that's exactly what will happen."

"Let me see it." Olivia reached forward.

"It's nothing Olivia." Dana protectively pulled back.

"Dana." Olivia pulled out one of the voices she reserved for the interrogation room. It didn't seem to phase Scully, until Olivia grabbed her wrist. "I want to see it."

"Olivia, let go." Scully winced as pain shot through her upper arm.

"Damn it, Dana!" Olivia dropped her wrist.

After several minutes of uneasy silence, Scully reached up with her right hand and tried unsuccessfully to unbutton her top. Olivia watched her struggle for a minute before leaning forward and taking over. In a matter of seconds she had Scully's shirt unbuttoned, she looked away as it fell open revealing bare flesh. Scully reached up and slid the material down off her shoulder; it bunched at the crease of her elbow. Olivia looked at the blood soaked dressing, reaching up and gently removing the tape. Even under her tender touch, Scully jumped several times.

"Dana, it really needs to be sutured. The steri-strips you put on aren't holding it closed."

"I-I can't." Scully tried to pull her shirt back up, but Olivia put her hand on top of hers effectively stopping her.

"Why?"

"Because the hospital is required to report any gun shot wounds."

"I have a friend, he owes me a favor."

"What kind of friend?"

"An old boy friend, back from when I was still a beat cop. He's a doctor, he'll do it."

"What'd you do?" Scully was intrigued. She didn't see Olivia as a crooked cop.

Olivia removed her hand from Scully's. "I pulled his daughter over, DUI, under age drinking, and marijuana possession. Instead of hauling her in, I called him. He promised to put her into a rehab, and get her help if I didn't take her in. So I let it slide. Luckily it scared her enough, she's been clean since."

Scully nodded.

"So will you let me call him?"

"Yeah. If you don't mind I'm going to shower while you do that."

Olivia was already searching her address book for his phone number and waved her on. They were both showered and dressed by the time the doctor arrived. "Rick Branner, this is Agent Dana Scully. She's also a doctor and your patient."

"What happened?" Rick asked as he pulled her blouse to the side.

"I was trying to dodge a bullet."

"Trying is right. Olivia, you know I have to report it." Rick pulled out his suture materials.

"I'm calling in that favor Rick."

"You weren't dodging one of Olivia's bullets were you?" He smiled before looking at the agent.

"No." Scully smiled.

"Then why not report it?"

"Long story."

"I didn't ask you twenty questions when I pulled Tara over." Olivia drew his attention.

Rick threw his hands up. "Okay, but if anyone asks, you sutured it yourself."

"Give me the thread and I will." Scully held out her hand. She was completely serious. "And skip the Lidocaine."

Olivia's jaw fell open.

"I've got this one." Rick put the Lidocaine back in his bag. "Are you sure?"

"Just sew me up doc."

Rick removed the steri-strips and frowned before reaching into his bag. "I'm going to have to use dissolving sutures inside. It hit muscle."

"Whatever you need to do." Scully wasn't surprised; in fact it explained why it was hurting more than she thought it should.

He put four sutures into the muscle and another eleven to close up the wound. "That should do the trick."

"Thanks Rick." Olivia led him to the door.

"Think we could try it again, you and me? You know, dinner? A movie?"

"I think we'd better not. I've actually got a current interest."

"If it's just an interest, it's not in stone."

"Not this time Rick. Sorry."

"Can't blame a guy for trying." He said his goodbyes, and closed the door.

The day was routine, except for Olivia and Scully going by the hospital to check on Elliot. He was chomping at the bit to go home, and the nurses were thrilled when Dr. Randolph came to the floor with discharge papers. "We're going to head back to the precinct. If you need anything give me a call."

"I will, you two be careful." Elliot had waved as they left together.

There were no new victims, which was a relief. They kept going over the scenes and every time came up empty-handed. Frustrated at the end of the day, they left much the same way the had come in, knowing nothing more than what the guy looked like.

That night Olivia cooked pasta with a marinara sauce, and they had a quiet evening just getting to know each other better. At five am a call pulled them both from sleep, another body had been found. Scully told them not to wake Warner; she would take care of the body. Pulling on a pair of jeans and borrowing one of Olivia sweatshirts, they went out into the frigid January temperatures.

"She looks to be about six or seven. Throat is slashed like the others." Scully was searching the body as she talked. "I'm not finding a puncture mark, but I don't really have good light. I'll know more when I do the autopsy."

In so many ways the little girl laying there looked like Emily, the daughter Scully had only known for a short time. She told herself it was impossible and to get a grip. When she stood up and Olivia asked her what was wrong, she brushed her off.

* * *

><p>"Dana?" Alex opened the door to the autopsy bay, where Scully was washing her hands. "Olivia is helping Fin with a lead, she asked me to meet you for lunch."<p>

"Is it that time already?" Scully looked at her watch.

Alex nodded.

"Ok." Scully smiled, and walked toward the ADA.

"I thought we'd go to the Golden Spoon, it's a quaint little family owned place." Alex led her out to the street where she hailed a cab.

Quaint was right, Scully thought as they walked in. There were a total of eight tables in a small room.

"I know it doesn't look like much but the food here is delicious." Alex spoke quietly, leading her to a corner table.

"Not many people can do that." Scully's voice was low. It unnerved her slightly, that Alex could.

"Do what?"

"Read my expression."

"You forget; I'm an ADA. I'm trained to read people's expressions." Alex returned as they sat across from one another.

"Then I'll just remember not to let my guard down around you." She straightened her back.

Alex definitely couldn't read the look Scully was giving her at the moment. She looked away, not trusting her eyes not to wander, and picked up a menu. "I'm not the enemy you know?"

"I never said you were, Alex. " Scully picked up her own menu. "I thought we were getting along wonderfully."

"We were." Alex peered over her menu.

"I don't normally care for lawyers, but DA's and ADA's can be a little less deceptive. At least they are working for the right goal."

"And what goal is that?"

"Justice." Dana gave her an inquisitive glance.

"Are you trying to say you don't trust me, Agent Scully?" The tone of her voice was almost seductive.

"I know that look." Dana felt strangely intrigued by the vibe emanating from Alex. Although she couldn't figure out if the young ADA was flirting or if it was just part of her personality.

"You didn't answer my question." Alex ignored her last statement, as the waitress arrived.

"Can I take your order?"

"I'll have the filet mignon, and raspberry lemonade." Alex handed the menu to the girl.

"I'll take the roasted root vegetables, and ice water with lemon."

"Would you like any meat with that?"

"No, thank you." Scully laid the menu on the edge of the table. She waited until the waitress walked away before speaking. "I trust you counselor."

There was something about her tone that sent chills down Alex's spine. "Then why the statement about not letting your guard down?"

"Because I don't let just anyone read me like a book." Scully smiled. She prided herself on the fact that Fox Mulder was one of the few people who really knew what she was thinking or feeling, and even she could fool him. "So what's your excuse?"

"My excuse?"

"Yeah, your excuse." Scully refolded the cloth napkin on the table. "You're not easy to read either counselor."

Alex shut her eyes and took a deep breath. She wondered why it was such a simple title could send her world spinning. A small smile tugged at her lips as she reopened her eyes. "Dana, it's Alex."

Scully only slightly picked up on the effect it was having on her, so she backed off. Alex was very attractive. Even Dana wouldn't deny that. In fact if she were searching for a woman, Alex would definitely be on the list of candidates. Of course, Scully wasn't even sure if Alex was interested in women. How could she be, when she wasn't even sure about herself?

"My excuse?" Alex pulled her from her reverie. "I'm just careful, have to be in my position."

Scully nodded her understanding as their meals arrived. Alex watched Scully as she ate, having feelings she'd only felt for two other women before now. Their meals out of the way, Alex took it upon herself to order dessert. "You'll absolutely love it."

Scully eyed the mint mousse when it arrived. It was a pale green with chocolate sauce drizzled on top. "It looks like…"

"Don't ruin it, just try it." Alex pushed her spoon towards Scully who to her surprise accepted it.

"Mmmm." Scully closed her eyes, all earlier visions of infectious ooze wiped from her thoughts.

"Love it?"

Scully opened her eyes, blushed lightly and nodded before picking up her own spoon. When they finished dessert, she excused herself to the bathroom. Alex paid the entire bill and followed. She was leaning lightly against the wall when Scully came out of the stall to wash her hands.

"I took care of the bill."

"How much do I owe you?" Scully dried her hands, tossing the paper towel into the wastebasket.

Alex shook her head and stepped forward, her hand reaching up to brush an errant strand of the red hair off Scully's forehead. Her skin was so soft, and before Alex could stop her self she felt the other woman's lips on hers. They were so warm and soft.

Scully stood there slightly stunned, not sure what to do. She hadn't seen it coming, although maybe if she were honest with the whole situation, she had. It actually would have been great if it hadn't been for the other people in her life at the moment.

Alex could still taste the hint of mint on them. It was at that moment someone else's image popped in her head, and she pulled away. "I'm sorry."

Scully licked her bottom lip, more out of habit then anything. "I – uh."

"No, I shouldn't have."

"I've never kissed another woman." Scully finished as if Alex hadn't spoken.

"You don't have to say anything. I've always been attracted to both sexes, and I don't know what came over me. Some people just have that effect. I hope this doesn't make things awkward between us."

"Please, let me finish." Scully's eyes pleaded with her. "It's not that I don't find you attractive, because I do. It's just – it's..."

"There's someone else?"

"Yeah."

"Does he know?" Alex looked away.

"It's really complicated Alex." The melancholy in her voice caused Alex turn back toward her.

"Walk back to my office with me, you look like you need to talk about it."

Scully nodded and the two women retrieved their coats in silence, before entering the cold streets of New York. A cab pulled up and they got in. The ride was short and before she knew it, Scully was sitting in Alex's office. "Who is it?"

"That's the complicated part Alex." Scully looked at her hands folded neatly in her lap. "It was my partner, but I've met someone recently. I can't explain it, but the feelings I had for him are only a fraction of what I feel for this person. I didn't think I could feel anymore deeply for someone than I did for him."

"This other person, it's a friend of mine?"

Scully nodded quietly. A loud rap sounded on the door behind her.

"Come in."

"Oh, there you are." It was Olivia, and Scully turned to meet her. "Cragen wants us in his office at two, and Kathy called. Elliot's driving her crazy, she's wishing Cragen hadn't made him take sick leave."

Scully smiled.

"Olivia, can you give us a minute?" Alex looked at her watch. "If you're late meeting Cragen, blame me."

"He's not Mr. Punctuality." Olivia smiled before closing the door on the two most beautiful women she knew.

"I'm not going to guess which of my friends you've got an interest in. I'm just going to tell you to watch your step."

"Are you threatening me Ms. Cabot?" Why did that question sound so familiar?

"No, Dana. It's just a warning."

Scully scoffed slightly, before standing to join Olivia in the hall. "What was that about?"

"I'm still trying to figure it out." Scully pulled her coat on as they walked toward the elevator.

"What'd she say?"

"Nothing of importance." Scully forced a smile, and tried to push the warning out of her mind.


	3. A Hero Emerges

**Where Walls Once Stood**

**A Hero Emerges**

"You wanted to see us, Cap?" Olivia stood in the doorway hiding the shorter Agent Scully behind her.

""Where's?" Captain Cragen grinned as Olivia sidestepped making Scully's presence known. "Yeah, but I think we'll just make it a pow-wow out at the white board."

He stood and followed the two women gathering Munch and Fin on the way. George Huang saw the group and joined in. Cragen was reviewing the timeline, and explained he thought the perp was laying low since he'd found out the police were on to him. "So far the face recognition software has come up negative from the sketch Dana provided."

"I don't think this guy is working alone." George spoke up. "I could be wrong, but whoever is behind this has to have a medical degree."

"He could be a pharmacist." Scully threw out.

"Could be, but… I don't know. It just doesn't feel right."

"So are we any closer to catching this guy?" It was Alex's voice that caused the squad to turn.

"We were just reviewing what we do know, Alex." Cragen's face answered her question.

"Do we know if he's holding any victims now?"

"Missing persons is supposed to call if they get any calls for girls under eighteen." Olivia answered.

"We just need more to go on than we've got." Scully sighed.

"We're going to get this guy." Cragen put a firm hand on Scully's upper arm, which invoked an involuntary yelp. Olivia cringed at the same time, which didn't go unobserved. "I'm sorry, I -"

Cragen looked from Scully to Olivia and back. He glanced at where his hand had just made contact, and the vision of Scully's torn coat-sleeve came back to him. "In my office, both of you."

Olivia led the way and Cragen brought up the rear, slamming the door as he entered. "What the hell's going on?"

He was pacing like a caged animal. Olivia knew the look. Scully stood silent trying to formulate the best answer in her head.

"And I want to truth this time."

"Well, we were trying to track down –" Scully started.

"Get to the point agent."

"I didn't know I was hit." She convinced herself there was some truth in the statement. She'd heard the shot, felt something vague, and heard Olivia tell her she was bleeding. None of which meant she knew at that exact moment she was hit.

"How could you not know?"

"It was a flesh wound, and I was running on adrenaline." That much she was sure was true.

"And when you found out you couldn't tell me?"  
>"Do you know what happens if it's reported? It turns into a federal affair. Forget what your squad is doing. Forget that he could have another little girl's life in his hands that we could save."<p>

"You lied to me." Cragen ran an angry hand over his nearly baldhead.

"I honestly did not know I was hit until later."

"You still should have told me." He lunged ever so slightly towards Detective Benson. "Damn it Olivia, I expected more from you."

"Captain, she's got a point." Olivia didn't flinch.

"I know she does." He flopped down in his chair. "You still should have told me."

"So what are we going to do about it?" Scully asked.

"Were you seen in a hospital?"

"No."

"Ok. I'm going to file the paperwork. I can't help it if it gets lost between here and headquarters." He couldn't believe what he was saying. "I don't want anything like this happening again, is that understood?"

"Yes sir." Scully answered.

Olivia nodded.

"I want you two to clock out now, we'll tackle this thing again in the morning. If anything comes up tonight I'll have Fin call you. That'll be all."

Olivia opened the door and let Scully exit first.

"What was that about?" Alex addressed Scully.

"Nothing." She headed for the coat rack.

"Alex isn't going to say anything." Olivia eyed them both.

"I – " Scully stopped and shook her head. She wasn't about to trust Alex with this.

"Olivia?" Alex pulled her aside. "I need to talk to you, alone."

"OK?" Olivia's brow creased.

"Not here. Meet me at Joe's at 7?"

"I can't."

"It's important." Alex's eyes pleaded, and Olivia couldn't say no.

Scully looked up. "Go, I'll eat Chinese."

"Fine. I'll see you at seven." Olivia grabbed her own coat.

Scully was about to brush past Alex when she grabbed her arm. "Ouch! Damn it!"

"Sorry." Alex pulled back.

Scully glared at her for a minute before realizing Alex really hadn't meant to hurt her.

"I need to talk to you for a minute." She led the way to Huang's office. "George, can we borrow your office for a few."

"Anything for you Alex." George walked past Scully. "Be nice to her Dana."

"I'm the one who people need to be nice to." Scully mumbled, guarding her arm.

Alex closed the door and leaned against it. "I came down to apologize for earlier. I didn't mean to come across guns blazing. It's just, I've got a feeling I know who you are interested in and I don't want to see her get hurt."

"Is that why you have to have dinner with her tonight?"

"It is Olivia?" It was more a statement than clarification. "Does she…"

"I don't know. I don't even know what I'm doing. I told you today I've never kissed a woman. Hell, I've never really been attracted to one before this week, and then Bam! Suddenly there are two."

"Two?"

"Alex, I don't know you well enough to be attracted to you on any level right now except a physical one. Problem is, I think you could be a really great ally, maybe even friend. Olivia and I have just made a connection. I don't know if it's going to be anything more than just good friends, but I can't deny that there's a connection. I wouldn't do anything to hurt her, and I hope you wouldn't either." Without giving Alex a chance to respond she walked out of Huang's office. "Thanks George."

"Yeah." He looked up from the file he was reading to see Alex still standing in his office.

* * *

><p>"Are you sure you'll be okay Dana? I can call and cancel with Alex." Something just didn't feel right, but Olivia couldn't put her finger on it.<p>

"You need to go, you're going to be late." Dana pushed her towards the door.

"Call if anything comes up."

"I will." She shut the door and started thumbing through Olivia's CD collection. When she saw all four Weezer albums she laughed. She never would have taken Olivia for a Weezer fan. Feeling the need for something familiar, she put all four CDs into the changer, leaving in a CD with Olivia's hand written label "mixed" and hit shuffle. The first song to play wasn't Weezer and Dana really began to wonder about Olivia's taste in music. She recognized the song from one of her godson's favorite bands. As she listened to the words all she could think about were Alex's words of not hurting Olivia.

Confused, and slightly angry she walked back to the stereo removing the mixed CD, afraid of what other thoughts the music might provoke. At least with Weezer she was safe, or so she thought. Hitting the shuffle button again she lay down and made herself comfortable on the couch while the player searched for a song. As the first notes came to life, she immediately recognized The Sweater Song, also known as Undone. Her thoughts drifted to Mulder, he really liked this song. Scully always blamed it on his porn habit.

_Watch me unravel_

_I'll soon be naked_

_Lying on the floor,_

_I've come undone_

At least if she hurt Olivia, Alex would be there to pick up the pieces, but who would be there for Mulder.

_Bye-Bye_

_Who I _

_I think _

_I sink and I die_

He'd had his chance.

What if Alex was at Joe's Grill kissing Olivia right now? She wondered where the thought had come from, and why it upset her so much. What difference did it make if Alex kissed Olivia? She hadn't even known Olivia a week, yet she couldn't shake the green envy from her mind. They had shared a lot in late night conversations the last several days. Some how they'd just connected.

Pushing thoughts of Alex aside, Dana drifted off to sleep listening to Only in Dreams.

_You can't avoid her_

_She's in the air_

_In between molecules_

_Of Oxygen and Carbon dioxide…_

* * *

><p>"What was so important that Dana couldn't come?" Olivia asked as their orders arrived.<p>

"We just haven't spent any time together this week."

Since when was Alex concerned about spending time alone with her? "Okay? But you said you needed to talk."

"Are you dating anyone?"

"You know I'm not."

"But you're interested in someone?"

"Yes." Olivia ran her finger up the side of her glass.

"Is it too late?"

"Too late for?" Olivia looked her in the eye. "For us?"

Alex didn't respond, but she didn't seem shocked by the question. She watched a young man walk into the establishment. She wasn't really processing the surroundings the way she usually did. A scratching on the table pulled her awareness back to her dinner companion.

Olivia was pushing her half eaten sub away. "I didn't know you were interested."

"I didn't think you were." Alex played with the straw in her nearly empty glass. "I mean you've dated..."

"Yeah, I've dated men, I've dated women. I've just been waiting for the right person to come along." Olivia saw the pain in her sapphire eyes. "What we've got it's special. It's something that comes along once in a lifetime, if you're lucky. Alex, you're my best friend, and I thought at one point I wanted more. I mean look at you, who wouldn't. But I can't take a chance at ruining the wonderful thing we've already got."

"You and Dana?"

"I don't know Alex. I don't think she's interested in more than what you and I have."

"But you're willing to take a chance?" Alex refused to tell Olivia what she knew.

"If the opportunity arises. I can't explain it Alex, I wish I could." She reached across the table and took Alex's hand in hers.

"You don't need to explain it. I waited too long. I know a good thing when I see it, and I didn't want a repeat of my last relationship." She pulled her hand away and placed it in her lap. "The woman I loved ran off to DC to get away from me."

"Abbie?" Olivia whispered.

Alex nodded.

"She wasn't running from you. You should call her, she's not happy. She thought she wanted to work there, find a man, and live a straight life. She wasn't running from you, she was afraid. Now she's afraid to come back because she doesn't think you still love her."

"She told you about us?"

"No, she told me about a woman. I didn't put two and two together until just now. Call her." Olivia pleaded.

"I don't know what I feel about her anymore Olivia, she hurt me."

"Sometimes love hurts Alex." Olivia's voice was full of emotion.

"Do me a favor?" Alex asked.

"Anything."

"Don't wait."

* * *

><p>Scully had been asleep for an hour when the phone rang. "Hello?"<p>

"Agent Scully, it's Fin."

"What do you have Fin?"

"We've got a report of a possible spotting. Didn't know if you and Olivia wanted to come with us?"

"Olivia's at dinner with Cabot. Where are you?"

"We're heading to 158 19th Street."

"I'll meet you there."

"You'll probably get there before us, don't go in alone." Fin said before he hung up, and he was right. She beat them there by five minutes.

"This the place?" Scully looked at the abandoned building.

"Yep." Munch pulled his gun.

"I haven't seen any movement." Scully followed his lead, situating her pristine glock in her hand. It often felt like an extension of her.

Fin was the first to enter. "Clear."

Munch and Scully entered behind him. Each yelling out "clear," as they went through several old apartments on the main floor. Scully busted open a door leading to a stairwell. She heard Munch yell, "Clear."

"I'm going down."

"I'm right behind you." Munch whispered.

"Stop staring at my behind." She tried to sound offended at the attention.

"But I'm supposed to be covering your back." He chuckled.

"FBI! Freeze!" She yelled when she saw the same man from the other night leaning over the half naked girl. He turned toward her for a split second. Debating on complying, but took off for another room. "You check the girl."

Scully left Munch behind in favor of the suspect. The room she entered was dark, and colder than the rest of the abandoned building. It was almost eerie. She blinked several times willing her eyes to adjust. It was useless she realized as she was blindsided. It felt like a fullback was tackling her. She was caught off guard and her weapon flew from her hand discharging in the process. Before she could even glance through the darkness in the direction of her weapon, a sharp pain tore between her ribs. She immediately reached out with precise hands getting a grip on the guy's shoulders and she wasn't letting go.

She struggled to catch her breath. Telling her self she'd just had the wind knocked out of her. As she struggled to keep her grip, another sharp pain hit her a little higher up. Her grasp faltered slightly at the immense pain. When she felt the guy turn to run, she shot her leg out effectively knocking him to the ground. Wasting no time she used her tiny body to her advantage and mounted his back. A few seconds later, the sudden light from an overhead forty-watt bulb stung her eyes.

When Fin flipped the switch he saw Agent Scully trying to get the perpetrator's second wrist into the cuffs. Her movements were retarded, reminding him of someone in a drunken stupor. "I've got a gun pointed right at your head so don't move."

Fin stepped forward and Scully fumbled with the cuffs one more time. It clicked shut just before she toppled over. "Shit!" Fin mumbled at the sight.

The perp felt her weight shift off his back and tried to push himself up. A foot connected with his side. "Go ahead, try to run. I'll blow your brains out punk."

"Munch, Scully's down. We're gonna need a bus." Fin yelled into the other room as he rolled her onto her back. Pulling the bloodied sweater up, he could now easily see the two knife wounds in the left side of her chest. The blood was foaming with each struggle for breath. "Don't you dare leave me kid."

"It hurts." She whispered. Gasping desperately for air.

"I bet it does." He was doing his best to apply pressure to both sites.

"Miranda…" She was lucky to get the word out.

"When I get done with him, he's not gonna care about his rights."

"Olivia?" Obvious panic spread across her pained features.

"She's not here. Save your strength kid. Bus is on the way."

"How is she?" Munch stood in the doorway holding the little girl who was now wrapped securely in his coat.

"Not good." He was still holding pressure as her eyes drifted shut. "If that bus doesn't get here soon, she's not gonna make it."

* * *

><p>"Dana?" Olivia walked into the dark apartment, with Alex close behind. She flipped the switch and a piece of paper on the coffee table caught her eye. She picked it up trying to decipher the scrawling.<p>

Liv,

Munch and Fin had a lead, went to help.

Dana

Alex's cell phone rang. Olivia swallowed the bile burning the back of her throat. Telling herself it was the DA needing to pull Alex away. The look on Alex's face said otherwise.

"Cabot."

"Alex, is Olivia with you?" The voice on the other end was urgent.

"Yeah Cap, she is."

"I need you to bring her down to Mercy General."

"What happened?"

"We'll talk when you get here." Cragen hung up.

"Cragen wants us at Mercy, he wouldn't say why." But they both knew.

* * *

><p>"Where is she?" Olivia asked as soon as she spotted Cragen. Munch was pacing in front of Fin who just sat looking at his blood covered hands.<p>

"She's in surgery."

"Is she ok?" Alex stood behind Olivia, but didn't say a word.

"They don't know if she's going to make it." Cragen helped Olivia to a chair, Alex numbly followed. "Elliot's on his way."

"What … what happened?" Olivia stuttered as Munch walked toward the front desk.

"Munch got a call, some woman saw a man carrying a little girl into an abandoned building. They called your house to see if the two of you wanted to check it out with them. You weren't there, Dana jumped at the prospect. They went in, and she and Munch went into the basement. The perp was about to molest a little girl when they came in. He ran, she told Munch to check on the girl and she ran after him into a dark room. This part is a little foggy, Fin came down and heard a gun discharge, we now know it was Agent Scully's. When he got to the room and turned on the light, she was on top of the suspect cuffing him. Everything looked fine, until she fell over and Fin saw the blood. There were two knife wounds to her left chest. They rushed her into surgery and we haven't heard anything."

Munch returned. "Both girls are going to be fine. They are a little shaken up, but the preliminary on the rape kits are negative."

"She's a damn hero that's for sure. She'd been stabbed twice and was still handcuffing the bastard." Fin continued to stare at his hands.

"Both girls?" Alex spoke for the first time since arriving.

"Yeah." Munch sat on the other side of Fin. "The room adjoining the one where Scully was stabbed, held another little girl. My guess is he was on his way to finish her off before we could get to him."

Tears were streaming down Olivia's cheeks. At that moment she didn't care who saw her cry, she didn't care who Dana saved, all she wanted was for someone to wake her up from this terrible nightmare. She felt a strong arm slide around her shoulders and pull her close. Alex looked up at Cragen. "Did you call anyone at the FBI?"

"I'm on it now." Cragen excused himself. He had wanted to fill Olivia in before he did anything.

Alex continued to hold her while Munch pulled Fin to his feet. "Let's get you cleaned up."

Every person on the squad felt responsible for Scully's condition, including the ADA. Munch blamed himself for staying with the girl. Fin kept thinking if he'd been a little faster. Cragen wished he'd never let her help out on the case, of course then it would be another member of his squad fighting for their life, or more dead kids. Besides it didn't matter that she had only worked with the squad for a few days, everyone felt she'd been there as long as they had, including the old man.

Elliot was on his way to the hospital and kept telling Kathy he should have been there, not off on sick leave. Alex kicked her self for pulling Olivia away that evening. Olivia cursed herself for going. Of course she was taking it the hardest, and blaming herself the most. If they'd never met, Scully would be safe in her hotel room. If she had stayed home, listened to her gut that told her something bad was going to happen.

Elliot rushed in with Kathy in tow, breaking Olivia from her thoughts. She extracted herself from Alex's embrace only to stand up and fall into Elliot's. "It's my fault," she mumbled into his shoulder. "If she dies…"

"Shhhh." Elliot hushed her, rubbing small circles into her back. Munch and Fin returned and said quiet hellos to Kathy. Olivia trembled in Elliot's arms. Not knowing what else to do Kathy sat beside Alex who was doing her best not to cry, and failing miserably.

"Her mother, partner and assistant director will be on the next flight up, and I called George." Cragen turned to Elliot who still held onto Olivia. "Thanks for coming."

"Any word?"

Cragen shook his head, and Elliot gently led Olivia to a cluster of chairs away from the group. He didn't want her hearing them talking about the case if it came up.

"It's been three hours, why haven't we heard anything." She finally pushed away from him.

"This isn't your fault. You have to know that." He knew she had fallen for Agent Scully. He'd never seen Olivia fall for anyone, like she had fallen for her, at least not so quickly. He still had his theories about Alex.

Olivia stood up, "Rick?"

Dr. Branner had just stepped into the waiting room. His bloody scrubs were evidence of where he had been. Cragen walked toward Olivia as he approached. Rick's face was drawn and tired, but beyond that gave no indication of the news he was about to relay. Olivia hated him for that. "Did you?"

Rick nodded. "I was the surgeon on call."

He paused and ran his hand through his hair. "She's in recovery, and still very critical. Anything can happen in the next twenty-four to forty-eight hours, I've done all I can do to repair the damage. He actually nicked her pericardial sack, had he pushed any deeper we wouldn't be having this conversation. I'd say she's pretty lucky, but she's not out of the woods yet."

"Can I - can I see her?"

"Not yet. She'll be in recovery for at least an hour and then they'll move her to ICU. When they get her settled, I'll have one of the nurses let you go in. We're transfusing her. She's lost a lot of blood. I've got her on a vent, and I had to put in a chest tube to re-inflate her lung. Just so you know what to expect."

Olivia nodded. "Thanks Rick."

"Just doing my job." He mumbled and walked away.

Alex put an arm around Olivia. "I am so sorry."

"No, it's not your fault, and she's going to be ok." But even as she said it, Olivia wasn't certain.

"Since she's out of surgery I want you two to go home." Cragen was talking to Munch and Fin. "There isn't anything else we can do tonight. We'll question this guy in the morning. Elliot, it's up to you and Kathy what you do. I still expect you at work in morning; so if you stay don't stay late. I'm going to hang around until I can speak with AD Skinner in person and talk to her mother."

"Olivia?" Elliot touched her elbow gently.

She pulled away squaring her shoulders. "Go home Elliot, I'll be fine. She's going to be fine."

It was two am before Olivia was allowed to go in and see her. She wasn't quite prepared for the shell of a woman who lay there. Scully's hair was splayed out on the pillow; she had wires running out from underneath her gown as well as the latex tube that was winding out of her chest, and down to a collection device sitting on the floor. Another tube snaked down her throat connecting her to the ventilator. She had blood running in one arm, regular IV fluids in the other. Her entire form was a grayish pale. Olivia carefully took her right hand in hers, it was cold but still warmer than Olivia had expected. She stood there for several minutes rubbing the back of her hand absently with her thumb, as if the action alone would will Scully back into the present.

"Where is she?" Fox Mulder was the first one through the doors. He saw Captain Cragen and Alex stand to greet him. "Are you Detective Benson?"

"No." Alex was unable to state her name before the madman shot out his next question.

"How could you let this happen?"

"Agent Mulder, calm down." AD Skinner put a firm hand on his shoulder. "Captain Cragen?"  
>"Yes." Cragen nodded.<p>

"I'm Walter Skinner, this is Dana's mom Margaret Scully." He turned to Mrs. Scully for a minute before turning back to the Captain. "And this is Agent Mulder."

"Wish it were under better circumstances." Captain Cragen shook hands with Margaret Scully and proceeded to fill them in on her daughter's condition.

"Can I see her?" Margaret asked.

"Sure, one of my detectives is with her now. I'll pull her out, and you can go in." Cragen led Mrs. Scully out of the ICU waiting room and down the hall. He knocked on the door lightly before opening it. Olivia was still holding on to Scully's hand. "Olivia, Dana's mom is here. Think you could give her a few minutes?"

Olivia nodded and reluctantly let go of Scully's hand. She leaned over and whispered, "I'll be back."

As she walked out of the room she apologized to Mrs. Scully, before following the captain back to the waiting room. Mulder had his back turned and didn't see them enter. Alex met them at the door.

"I need to go, I want to be in the observation room when they question him, and I've got a deposition at ten." She looked at her watch. Four am, barely worth going home to try and sleep. "Call me if anything changes."

Mulder heard Alex talking and turned to see the brunette with light golden highlights. "Detective Benson?"

"Yes?" She whispered goodbye to Alex before turning to face Agent Mulder. He had been ready to attack, until he saw her tear-stained cheeks. His countenance softened immediately.

"I'm Agent Mulder, we spoke a few days ago on the phone. How is she?"

"There's been no change since she came out of surgery."

Mulder nodded silently.

"I'm sorry." Olivia offered quietly.

Mulder sat back down, the rage he had felt toward her suddenly drained from him. He had heard the details from Skinner and again from Cragen, it wasn't Olivia's fault. The only thing he could blame her for was meeting Scully in the first place.

It was a couple hours before Margaret left her daughter's side. Mulder was sleeping awkwardly on the uncomfortable chairs in the waiting room. Olivia walked over and hugged Mrs. Scully. "I wish there was something I could have done to prevent this."

"You weren't even there." Mrs. Scully's dark eyes held understanding. "I've already lost one daughter, and I can't count how many times Dana's life has hung in the balance. But she loves her job, wouldn't give up chasing demons for the world. I know she's happy doing just that. If she loses her life in the line of duty, I'll know she died doing what she wanted to do."

Olivia stood silently, tears collecting in her eyes.

"Detective Benson, she's going to be just fine. I know my daughter." The older woman squeezed Olivia's hands reassuringly. "She's already looking better, why don't you go see for yourself."

Olivia nodded and headed down the hall. When she walked in to the room, she didn't see any change in the near lifeless form lying there. She wanted to scream. She wanted to go back in time, and take Dana's place.

She pulled up a chair and sat beside the bed, again taking her frail hand in hers. Tracing the veins on the back with her thumb. Her eyes studying her face, memorizing every line, every pore. "Dana I need you."

* * *

><p>Mulder stood unobserved in the doorway.<p>

"If I could trade places with you I would. You can't leave me like this."

Mulder took a quiet step forward, feeling as if he were witnessing a private moment and cleared his throat. "How's she doing?"

Olivia closed her eyes and willed herself not to cry. He watched her for a moment before speaking again. "She's a fighter. She's pulled through much worse."

"I know." Her voice was barely a whisper.

"Cragen mentioned they plan on questioning the guy at eight, I didn't know if you were going to sit in on it or not?"

"No, I'm not going to sit in on it. I'm going to nail that bastard to the wall."

"Yeah, Cragen thought you'd want to be there. Skinner took her mom to a hotel to rest, I'll sit with her for a while."

Olivia looked at her watch. "I guess I should get a shower, and a couple cups of coffee in me before I go."

She stood up, hating to leave but needing to make sure this guy didn't skate by on some stupid technicality. She left go of Scully's hand and pulled out her notepad. After scribbling a number down, she handed it to Mulder. "If anything changes, I want to know."

Mulder nodded. Olivia walked down the quiet halls of the hospital and hailed a cab out front. When she walked into her apartment she could still smell traces of Scully's perfume. Eternity had never smelled so good to her, before meeting Dana. Now it just made her want to cry. Random lyrics of Weezer's Butterfly filtered into her thoughts, making it that much harder not to cry.

_She had withered all away_

_No more sighing in her breast_

…_every time I pin down what I think I want_

_It slips away, the ghost it slips away_

Smell you on my hand for days I can't wash away your scent…

_I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry_

She couldn't understand why that song, why now. It had been months maybe longer since she'd even listened to any of their albums. Disregarding the haunting thoughts, she reminded herself she had a job to do.

"Olivia, I want you in the observation room with Cabot and myself." Cragen pointed the way.

Olivia shook her head.

"He's not your collar." Elliot gently reminded.

"While you were out, she was my partner. She is our partner. It's our case. It was her collar, so that makes it my collar."

"Munch and Fin have this one." Cragen waved Alex over.

"Hey Cap'n, Munch is running late." Fin was just hanging up the phone.

"Do you want to wait?"

Fin shrugged. "Nah, let's go Olivia."

Olivia gave a quick nod, trying to hide her eagerness.

"You let Fin lead this one." Cragen warned.

"Not a problem." Olivia watched him follow Alex and Elliot into the observation room, before she followed Fin into interrogation one.

"Was he mirandized?" Alex asked, but didn't wait for an answer. "You better hope with all the chaos last night that he was."

"I did it myself when I arrived on the scene." Cragen nodded. Agent Scully was being loaded on the bus, and he'd figured he needed to pick up any loose ends on the scene. "We've got all the bases covered. Besides he has yet to confess to anything."

"I didn't do anything." They heard the man, now known as Charles Farley whined.

"We know you did it Charlie. All we're waiting for is the DNA results to come back and your ass is as good as dead." Fin leaned over the table, bearing down on the perp.

"But I didn't do anything."

"I guess that's why your clothes were covered in blood last night?" He didn't hide his disbelief.

"I'm not saying anything without a lawyer. You've got the wrong guy. Besides that bitch bled all over me when she cuffed me."

"That 'bitch' is my partner." Olivia lunged out of her chair, grabbing it before it toppled over from the movement. Her knuckles turned white as her voice shook with pure rage. "If she dies because of what you did to her, you'll be begging for them to put that needled in your arm."

No one could have predicted what happened next. Even Elliot her long time partner and friend took a moment to recover. It happened so quickly and yet it was as if he were watching it in slow motion. As Olivia finished off the threat, she slung the old wooden chair she'd been sitting it against the wall. It missed Charlie's head by a good three feet, smashing into hundreds of pieces. Wooden splinters were still raining down on him when Olivia stormed out of the room. Elliot was the first to recover. He hit the bullpen about the same time she did.

"You ok?"

Olivia stood staring down at her desk, her fists were clinched tight, the muscles in her jaw bulging.

"What the hell was that?" Cragen came bursting into the squad room followed by a still stunned Alex. Olivia closed her eyes, as if she could wake for this awful dream.

"Cap'n." Fin stuck his head out of interrogation one. "He says he'll talk, forget the lawyer. He just doesn't want Benson anywhere near him."

Cragen gave her a long hard stare, before realizing she wasn't even aware of what was going on around her. Alex seemed to have shaken it off, and was heading back to the observation room.

"Elliot, stay with her." Cragen greeted Huang as he entered the bullpen. "Good morning George."

"What's going on?"

"Why don't you join Alex in observation one? I'll fill you in right after I get this guy's confession."

Huang easily complied, giving Olivia and Elliot a suspicious glance.

"I'm Captain Cragen, I understand you want to waive your rights?" Cragen closed the door.

"As long a you keep that crazy bitch away from me." Charlie looked nervously towards the door.

"Detective Benson isn't coming back in here."

"I ought to sue that freak."

"She didn't even touch you man." Fin rolled his eyes. "You ought 'a fess up, before she gets a call about her partner's condition."

"Ok, ok. You just promise you'll keep her away from me." Charlie's eyes darted between Fin, Cragen and the door. "I did it ok?"

"That's not good enough." Fin leaned over the table supporting his weight with one arm. "You did what?"

"I – I kidnapped those two girls, but I didn't do anything to them I swear."

"Liv, sit down." Elliot gently guided her to her chair. Her fists uncurled slightly, but her jaw was still tense.

"It's not him." She finally said quietly.

"What do you mean it's not him?"

"Elliot do you remember what the guy at Rockefeller Center looked like?"

He shook his head. He really didn't remember much of that night's events thanks to the drugs the hospital gave him.

"Yeah, Dana told me Versed might have that effect on you. That's not our guy."

"Are you sure?"

Olivia nodded. "Positive."

"But he is the guy who stabbed Scully. The blood on his clothes are a match. Uniforms searched the building, there was no one else inside."

"I know, but he's not our original suspect." Olivia glanced at Fin's desk phone as it began to ring.

"Stabler." Elliot pulled the receiver to his ear. "I'll let him know."

Elliot placed the phone back down, and nodded to Olivia as he crossed to the interrogation room. Charlie jumped when the door opened, but let out a sigh of relief when he saw it wasn't Detective Benson. "Captain we've got a problem."

"What is it?"

Elliot motioned for him and Fin to follow him. Alex and George followed from the observation room. Olivia was now standing with them. "What did he confess to?"

"He confessed to kidnapping the two girls. He swears he didn't stab Agent Scully, and denies knowing anything about the other girls. Why?"

"He's not our guy."

"What do you mean?" Fin asked. "Munch saw him, he's the guy."

"He's not the guy that attacked Elliot, and shot at Dana."

"He's also not the guy that did our dead vics." Elliot rubbed his eyes. "The lab just called, DNA's not a match."

"Are we sure he stabbed Agent Scully?" Cragen asked.

"He was the only guy in the room." Fin nodded.

Olivia stepped towards the door and Cragen intercepted her. "You're not going in there."

"Captain…"

"You've already done enough. You step in there and he's not going to give us anything." Cragen looked over at her coat lying on across her desk, it was ringing.

Stabler was already there with phone in hand, and waited for Olivia to nod before answering. "Hello?"

"Is this Olivia Benson's phone?"

"It is. And whom am I speaking with?" Elliot's brow wrinkled.

"This is Agent Fox Mulder, and you are?"

"I'm Olivia's partner, Elliot Stabler. Are you calling about Dana?"

"No." Elliot shook his head when Olivia stepped forward, while Mulder continued. "I was calling to see what was going on with the suspect in custody."

"We're still working on it."

"In other words, he's not giving you anything?"

"I couldn't say for sure, I've been following up on lab results and I haven't been in on the interrogation."

"Could you have Olivia call me when she knows something."

"Sure thing." Elliot put her phone away. "He was checking up on the case."

"What's going on?" Munch asked seeing the group huddle.

"The guy in interrogation one isn't our original suspect." Olivia looked at Munch. "Are you sure he's the guy you and Dana saw over the girl?"

"I couldn't say for sure. I was behind Agent Scully, and didn't see the guy till he was fleeing. Agent Scully told me to check the girl and went after him. The lighting wasn't good, I'd say it was but I can't be certain."

"I want to check out the crime scene." Olivia headed for her desk.

"Olivia you need to take some time, get some sleep, check on Dana." Cragen urged.

"I've got to know if this is our guy, and since he's not really talking I need to see the crime scene. We never found the knife he used. If he won't confess we are going to need to match the prints on the weapon to him."

"Fine, let Elliot drive." Cragen shook his head. "Let me know what you find."

* * *

><p>Olivia walked down the stairs ahead of Elliot, trying to see what she thought Scully had seen. When she walked into the room where Scully had been stabbed she could still make out the bloodstains on the floor. Emotion threatened to take over, and she struggled to regain her professional objective. She's just another vic – she told herself.<p>

"Elliot." Olivia pointed toward the open window, which led to a fire escape.

"Yeah?"

"Follow me for a second."

"Okay." He watched her step to just inside two blood stained areas.

"If you just stabbed someone twice, what are you going to have on your hands?"

"Blood."

"Right. The victims and most likely yours, if it's a struggle the hilt of the knife is bound to slip and you're going to cut yourself. Only Charlie didn't have any wounds." She ran her hand through her short hair, thinking. "If I knock you down, how are you going to land?"

Elliot thought for a moment, and leaned forward putting his hands out to brace himself. "Well, if I'm going face first, I'm going to catch myself."

"Right, and Fin said Scully was straddling his back when he came in. Explains the blood on either side. But there are no hands prints here."

"He wiped them on his shirt."

"If he was being attacked, he wouldn't have time. And the blood on the front of his shirt wasn't smeared in the pattern of a hand."

"You're saying there were two of them?"

"Stay with me." Olivia pointed to the twin bed shoved against the wall, the sheets haphazardly pooled on the floor. "You're sleeping in the bed, maybe even stoned. I come in, knife in hand, and pull you out of bed tossing you in the general direction of the door. Your weight is enough to knock the gun out of Scully's hand, and Charlie's bigger than you. She grabs a hold of you while I stab her twice in the chest. It's dark and she's too busy trying to subdue you, to notice I'm climbing through the open window."

Elliot nodded slightly, as Olivia walked to the window and carefully climbed through without touching the ledge. "Damn it!"

"What?" Elliot asked from inside.

"CSU didn't process anything outside the window. We've got a bloody handprint."

"I'll call in the day team." Elliot pulled out his phone.

"I'll call the Cap'." Olivia was still rehashing what she'd discovered at the scene when Elliot hung up. "I think he knows who's responsible and he's covering. But I also think I know how to get him to roll. - Ok, we'll be there soon."

"CSU is on the way." Elliot looked around. "She sure did loose a lot of blood."

Olivia suppressed a shudder in response to the shiver sliding up her back. "We need to get back to the stationhouse. Cragen's taking Charlie back into interrogation."

Elliot gave two sharp raps on the door before opening it. Charlie looked up, as did Cragen and Fin. "She didn't make it Captain. Agent Scully is dead."

"You know what that means." Fin looked at Charlie. "Man you're gonna die. The feds 'll have a needle in your arm before you can blink."

"But I didn't kill no cop. I swear."

"She wasn't just a cop, Charlie." Cragen picked up the lead. "She was an agent for the FBI. I'm afraid there's nothing we can do to help you."

Cragen stood up to walk out. "I know who did it. I want a deal."

Alex came out of the observation room about the same time Fin exited the interrogation room. "Olivia, I'm so sorry."

"There's been no change in her condition."

"But Elliot –"

"Elliot was just following my lead. I couldn't bear to say the words, but as far as I know there has been no change in Dana's condition. She's still fighting for her life. When I talked to Cragen we knew it was the only way to get this guy to roll."

"Good plan too." Fin held up his notepad. "Turns out it's his brother."

"But there were no similarities in the DNA." Elliot pointed out.

"You two aren't the only ones who've been busy." Munch crossed the room. "Charlie's adopted."

Cragen came out to join them. "Munch and Fin, I want you to go see if you can pick up this guy. Elliot, if you can write up what you two found at the crime scene. I'm going to fill a grievance report on CSU and the uniforms that responded last night. I understand there was an injured officer, but there's no excuse for the sloppy job they did." Cragen knew his team had done their best, and once the uniforms arrived their top priority was Agent Scully as it should have been. "Olivia, good call on re-canvassing the crime scene."

"Do we have anything to hold Charlie on?" Olivia asked, thinking they didn't.

"Well, we still haven't cleared him of any involvement. Although he earlier confessed to kidnapping the two girls last night, he has now retracted that statement. But we can hold him for twenty-four hours. I want you to go home and get some sleep, you've been going for over thirty-two hours now."

Olivia looked at her watch it was already three in the afternoon. "I'm not going to be able to sleep. I want to know we've got this guy."

"We'll let you know." Cragen said. "I want you to take a couple days off. Elliot can catch up on paper work, he shouldn't be chasing down suspects just yet anyway."

"I'm fine Cap'." Olivia protested.

"This isn't up for debate Detective."

"Fine, I'll be at the hospital."

Mulder was sitting in the waiting room when Olivia arrived. "How is she?"

Mulder shook his head. "Her mom's in with her now. Did he confess?"

"No, it's the wrong guy."

"What do you mean it's the wrong guy? Scully handcuffed him."

"The room was dark, she couldn't see. We now believe there were two perps in the room at the time she was attacked. It's all in the report." Olivia was too tired to go over the case anymore, all she wanted to do was see Dana. "I'm going to…"

Mulder nodded as she headed down the hall.

Olivia opened the door and stepped in. "Mrs. Scully, I'm sorry. I just needed to see her."

Margaret Scully turned to see Olivia standing just in side the door. "Come on in, it's Olivia right?"

"Yes."

"Please call me Margaret."

"Thank you." Olivia stepped up to the bed and unconsciously ran her index finger over the back of Dana's hand.

"I'll give you some time." Margaret left Olivia at Dana's bedside, and joined Mulder in the waiting room.

Olivia sat in the vacated chair and cried. "I'm so sorry Dana. I should have been there. I should have had your back."

The entire afternoon, and evening Margaret and Mulder took turns coming in and sitting with Scully. The entire time Olivia stayed silently at her side. At one point Mulder whispered in her ear that Fin had stopped by to let her know they hadn't found Charlie's brother Chad. It must have been close to Midnight, but it didn't seem to matter to Olivia. The hours were running together and right now time just didn't seem to matter.

Alex stopped by to get a report on Agent Scully from Agent Mulder, on her way to work the following morning. When she left the office that evening after seven she stopped back by. Agent Mulder informed her Olivia still had not left Scully's side. This time Alex made her way into the room. She wasn't prepared for how bad Agent Scully looked, nor the fact that Olivia didn't look a whole lot better. "Liv?"

"Did they get him?"

"No." Alex answered quietly. "Liv, come on. You need a break."

"I'm not leaving her. What if Chad finds out she's not dead and tries to take her out?"

"That's not going to happen. Agent Mulder will stay with her."

Olivia shook her head.

"You haven't slept in over sixty hours, and when was the last time you ate?"

Olivia opened her mouth, but then decided to just shrug.

"That's what I thought, it's been at least forty-eight hours. What good are you going to be to her, if you're in a bed down the hall?"

"Alex."

"Liv, come on I'm taking you home. At least for a couple hours."

Olivia halfheartedly stood up, letting go of Dana's hand. She felt like she was cutting her lifeline.

"It's just for a couple hours Liv. Mulder will call if there is any change, I promise."

"Hang in there, Dana." This time Olivia brushed a few strands of red hair from her forehead before bending over and placing a gentle kiss there.

Olivia was the first to step into her apartment and Dana's Eternity still lingered in the air. It was only noticeable to her. Alex came in behind her dead bolting the door.

"Have you called Abbie?" Olivia turned to face her.

"No, I will though."

"Call now."

"It's not that important." Alex led Olivia to the couch urging her to sit.

"Alex, do you love her?" Olivia obliged and sank into the cushions.

"I did, I don't know any more."

"Do you still care about her?"

"Yes."

"Then it's important."

"It can wait."

"No it can't Alex. You told me not to make the same mistake you did with Abbie. Not to wait until it's too late. Well, I don't know if it's too late for Dana and me. I honestly don't know what tomorrow holds, or even the next hour for that matter, but you have something I don't have right now. You have this very minute to pick up that phone and talk to her, because none of us knows what the next minute holds."

"It's long distance." Alex protested as Olivia opened her address book.

She picked up the phone and dialed.

"Hello?" An out of breath Abbie picked up the phone.

"Hey, it's Olivia."

"I just walked in the door. What's up?"

"I can't talk, but there is someone here who needs to talk to you." Olivia handed the phone to Alex and headed for the shower.

"Abbie?"

"Alex?"

"Yeah, it's me."

"I didn't think I would ever hear your voice again."

"I didn't think you wanted to. Why didn't you call?"

"I … I was afraid."

Alex couldn't stop all the old feelings from flooding her. "Of me?"

"No." Abbie smiled. "I hurt you when I left without so much as a goodbye. I didn't think you would still…"

"I'll always love you Abbie."

Olivia wrapped a towel around her and went into the bedroom. The pajamas Dana had been wearing were folded neatly on the dresser. She picked up the top and lay down on the bed, and that's how Alex found her an hour later, sound asleep. Alex smiled to herself, Olivia definitely need the sleep. She quietly closed the door, and raided Olivia's refrigerator. Throwing out Chinese take-out from earlier and searching for something to have ready when Olivia awoke.

She was heating cream of broccoli soup on the stove when the phone rang. "Benson residence."

"Alex?"

"Yeah John, it's me."

"Is Olivia there?"

"She's asleep."

"When she wakes up let her know we picked up Chad Farley. He's not giving us anything, and we're going to need a search warrant in the morning for his apartment."

"I'll take care of it first thing. And I'm sure Olivia will be relieved. Thanks Munch."

"Sure thing." He hung up

Thirty minutes later the phone rang again. "Benson residence."

"Ms. Cabot?"

"Yes?"

"It's Mulder, is Olivia there?"

"She's asleep, I can wake her?"  
>"No, no don't do that. I was just calling to let her know they've taken Scully off the vent. Aside from that every thing is still status quo."<p>

"Thank you Agent Mulder." Alex hung up the kitchen phone and turned to see Olivia standing in the doorway. She was barefoot, wearing dark blue jeans, and buttoning up a light blue blouse.

"What's wrong?" Olivia asked hearing Alex say Mulder's name.

"Nothing, he was just calling to say they pulled Dana off the vent, but she's still non-responsive."

"That's good news though, right?"

"I think so." Alex tried to sound hopeful.

"I need to get back."

"You need to eat. I've got soup on the stove, and I'll make you a grilled cheese while you put on your shoes."

"I'm not hungry."

"This isn't up for debate."

"You sound like Cragen." Olivia rolled her eyes while Alex sliced the sharp cheddar for sandwiches.

"I've got more news for you, but well talk while we eat." Alex watched Olivia look at her curiously.

It was almost midnight when they returned to the hospital, and while Olivia didn't look much better she felt rejuvenated. The shower, short nap and food had done her good. Not to mention the news of Chad's arrest, and Alex's announcement that Abbie was going to spend a week in NYC when she finished her latest case.

Margaret Scully was sitting next to Dana's bed when Olivia came in. She had just talked to Dr. Branner and Mulder in the hallway. Rick wasn't very optimistic that Scully would pull out of this. It had already been forty-eight hours and she was showing no signs of improvement. He had only kept her on the ventilator to give her chest muscles a head start in the healing process. There was still quite a bit of drainage from the chest tube and her latest x-ray showed the beginning signs of pneumonia. The disheartening part of it all, Scully was already on high-powered IV antibiotics. He didn't know what else to do. Still Margaret Scully swore her daughter was getting better. It was the hope she was right, that kept Olivia going.

"She's going to be just fine, don't you worry." Margaret was patting Olivia on the back. "I need to get some sleep, but call if she wakes up."

"I will." Olivia promised.

Another day had passed and Scully was still showing no signs of improvement. In fact, her x-rays showed worsening of the pneumonia, and now respiratory therapy was coming in routinely to give her Albuterol treatments and perform chest PT. Olivia cringed when they would beat on Dana's chest and back. Maybe it was a good thing she was comatose and little aware of the pain they were causing. At least Olivia hoped she wasn't aware.

"How's she doing?" It was Cragen's voice Olivia heard in the doorway the following morning.

Olivia just shrugged in response.

"How are you doing?"

"I'm fine Cap."

"Have you been out of here since Alex hauled you home the other day?"

Olivia shook her head no.

"Let me take you home, you need some rest."

"I'm not leaving." Her response was firm, and Cragen knew he wouldn't be able to change her mind.

"If you need anything, give me a call."

"The only thing I need is for Dana to get better." Olivia heard the door close as he left.

It wasn't long before respiratory therapy came in and tortured the unconscious Scully again. When they finished Olivia moved her chair back to the bedside. She picked up Dana's hand again. "Come on. I know you're in there. Just give me a sign."

Nothing.

"I need you here with me, not floating around in the unknown. You can pull through this Dana. I need you to pull through this. There is so much I haven't told you."

She couldn't stop the tears, and as she cried she leaned over resting her head beside Dana's hip.


	4. Seeking Justice

Sorry I haven't been editing this or even rereading it before posting.

* * *

><p><strong>Where Walls Once Stood<strong>

**Seeking Justice**

The pain was overwhelming. Why did people keep beating on her? Finally it was quiet again and the pain started to subside. Was that Olivia's voice she heard? And who was crying? The doctor in her couldn't figure it out, nor could the agent. It was the woman she so often hid away in a protective corner that now struggled to break the surface.

* * *

><p>When she first opened her eyes the sunlight through the window threatened to burn her retinas. She waited for her eyes to adjust and as they did she flashed back to that night. She had been waiting for her eyes to adjust to the darkness when she had been attacked. Something wasn't right in her memory. As she struggled to figure out what it was. Two people, there were two people there. She needed to tell Olivia. Fin told her Olivia was fine. That was when the darkness took over.<p>

Her eyes finally adjusted to the unfamiliar room. Where was she? She tried to move, but realized that only caused her pain. She heard the monitor beeping beside her. "Hospital, I must be in the hospital." She thought.

Looking around she saw Olivia's head lying on the bed next to her, her shirtsleeve still wet with tears. Dana carefully lifted her hand and brushed the brown hair away from the detective's face. Olivia jumped, startled at the warm touch.

"Sorry." It sounded more like a frog croaking than an actual word.

"Dana, you're – you're awake." Olivia sat up. "Your mom's in the waiting room, I'll go get her."

A warm hand grasping hers weakly stopped Olivia from moving. Dana cleared her throat, this time it was a little more audible but still coarse. "You look like shit."

"I would say the same about you, but I'm just thrilled to see those baby blues." A smile spread across Olivia's face.

"What happened?"

"You were stabbed in the chest."

"Explains the pain." She looked down to see the chest tube sliding out from under the sheets, and rolled her eyes. Struggling to continue to talk, Scully managed to croak out. "There were two."

"I know. We've got them both in custody."

"How'd you know?"

"Elliot and I figured it out." Olivia answered modestly. "We'll talk about it later. I need to get your mother. If she finds out you're awake and I didn't tell her."

"She'll have your hide."

Olivia turned to see Margaret Scully standing in the doorway. "I was…"

"It's ok Olivia." Margaret crossed the room to give her daughter a gentle hug.

"I'm going to let Mulder know and call the squad room. Everyone's been worried about you."

"Mulder's here?" Dana looked worried.

"He and Skinner flew up with me the night you were attacked." Margaret explained as Olivia walked out.

While Olivia called Cragen with the news Mulder went in to see Scully. Olivia walked back in just as her doctor was leaving. "What'd he have to say?"

"He says I'm going to be just fine."

Olivia looked at her skeptically.

"He also said you need to get some rest."

"Now I know better than to believe that."

"Do you think I would lie to you?"

Olivia looked at her arm.

"Ok, I'll rephrase my question. Do you think I would flat out lie to you?"

"Probably not."

"Okay, so there you have it." Dana reached for a cup of water sitting on the nearby table. Olivia saw her intention and picked it up, holding the straw to her lips.

"There's something I need to tell you." Olivia said when Scully finally pushed the straw away with her tongue.

"It's going to have to wait." Scully looked at the doorway where a male respiratory therapist stood.

"I'm sorry, but it's time for Ms. Scully's treatment and chest PT."

"You're going to want some of that." Olivia pointed to the patient controlled morphine pump.

"Yeah, and then I'm going to sleep for a while. Do me a favor?"

"What's that?" Olivia stepped closer.

"Go home, get some rest, and don't come back until morning."

Olivia frowned.

"It's not that I don't want you here Liv, but I don't want you as a roommate while I'm in here. You need to get some real rest."

Olivia nodded.

"And by morning, I don't mean one o'clock, I mean after the sunrises."

Olivia smiled. "Alex will probably stop by. Along with everyone else from SVU."

"See, I'll have plenty of company while you sleep."

Olivia wanted so badly to kiss her forehead before leaving but two things stopped her. One Dana was now alert, and two there was an audience, small though it were.

* * *

><p>Olivia awoke to the phone ringing. "Hello?"<p>

"Did I wake you?"

"Agent Mulder?" She asked pushing the last vestiges of sleep from her eyes.

"Yeah."

"What's wrong with Dana?" Her concern was evident even over the line.

"Nothing, she's fine." Mulder chuckled quietly.

Olivia could hear a painful cough in the background, and knew immediately it was Dana's. "Are you sure?"

"Well, she says she's fine. Although they just finished beating the crap out of her, and now she's coughing up Christmas colored mucous. But she says she's fine. We just thought you would have been in by now."

Olivia looked at her watch; it was after nine. "I guess I needed more sleep than I thought. I need to get a shower and I'll be in."

"Scully says to take your time, and to eat."

"Tell Dana I am a big girl capable of taking care of myself."

Mulder relayed the message and she heard Dana laugh cautiously. "I don't doubt that."

"She says- "

"I heard her." Olivia interrupted. "Ask her if I can bring her anything?"

"Her mom's already taken care of anything she needs."

"Well what about what she wants?"

"All I want is you." Dana replied, shocking Olivia slightly.

"Dana?"

"Do you know how hard it is to get the phone away from him when you're stuck in bed?"

"You need to be resting and not wrestling for the phone."

"And you need to eat." Scully scolded her.

"I could use to loose a few pounds."

"Not hardly, I'll see you when you get here." Dana said goodbye before hanging up.

"Scully we need to talk." Mulder became serious as a series of coughs attacked her body. She hugged a pillow to her chest for dear life, until they subsided.

"We have been talking Mulder."

"I know, but I need to tell you something."

"What?" She didn't like his sudden change in mood.  
>"I love you, Scully."<p>

"What's my name?"

"What?" Mulder gave her a confused look.

"My name?"

"Dana Katherine Scully." He waited a second. "Did you hear me?"

"I heard you Mulder, but it's too late."

"I've always loved you. You know that." His eyes pleaded with hers.

"I know." She sighed. "It's not enough. Mulder, it's like you said earlier, I always have you. But I still have nothing. You've always loved me, but I'm the first one you ditch to go chasing after Aliens. I'm always second to Samantha, and I've never minded. I'll always love you Mulder. You'll always be my best friend. But I'm just not in love with you, not anymore. I'm sorry."

"It's her?"

Scully bit her lower lip. Her chest hurt, she'd put out enough in the way of emotional conversation for now.

"I didn't think you were interested in women Scully." It wasn't a sarcastic statement, which is what'd she'd expected.

"I haven't been."

"Does she love you half as much as I do?"

"I don't know Mulder. I don't even know if she's anything more than a good friend."

"So we still have a chance?"

"Mulder, you're my best friend." She grasped her side as pain shot through it, fighting the urge to cough again.

"Hey." He whispered. "You need to rest."

As she nodded he pushed the button delivering another dose of Morphine. "Mulder?"

He could hear the agitation in her voice; she hadn't wanted the pain medication despite her need. He knew she really wanted to see Olivia before using the Morphine. He hadn't just pushed it because he knew she needed it, although that was the lie he would chose to believe. "Shhh!"

Her eyelids were already drifting shut when he walked out of the room. Olivia was coming down the hall. "She's sleeping, and needs her rest."

Olivia gave him a funny look as she nodded.

"She was in a lot of pain, and the morphine puts her out."

"I figured."

Mulder looked at his watch. There was no way she had had time to shower and eat. Her hair was still damp, so he knew she'd opted to skip the later. "Let's go grab a bite to eat."

"I'm not hungry."

"Trust me, if Scully finds out you didn't follow her orders, you're going to be in a world of hurt. Come on, my treat."

"What's your motive?"

"You'll see." Mulder gave her one of his famous sly grins.

* * *

><p>They made light conversation until their orders arrived at the little diner down the block from Mercy. Mulder tore into his double bacon cheeseburger, before becoming serious. "What are your intentions with MY partner?"<p>

"Your partner?"

"Yeah, you know the cute little red head laying in a hospital bed with a tube sticking in her chest."

Olivia couldn't help but think she was so much more than cute. "I don't follow."

"Look I know your bisexual."

"Agent Mulder, this is hardly an appropriate conversation, and I have no idea what you are talking about."

"Then you have no interest in Scully beyond that of a professional?" He shoved a French fry in his mouth with a big grin, seeing how his line of questioning seemed to un-nerve the almost unshakable detective.

"Dana, and I are friends."

"Then you can consider me a friend. Any friend of Scully's is a friend of mine, except for her brother Bill. And that is completely mutual."

"What gave you the impression I was bisexual?"

"It was just a hunch, guess it was wrong." He thought he'd like to get to know her a little better if there wasn't something between her and Scully.

"Do I look bisexual to you?"

"I'm not really sure what a bisexual is supposed to look like. I was just trying to feel you out."

"Are you trying to say you're interested?" Olivia couldn't help but grin when he squirmed in the booth.

"I would be, if I didn't know someone else who has an interest. But you never know."

"Well, that's good to know, because I was starting to wonder about your sexual preference." She ignored him as he feigned horror. Men were always so much more dramatic then women when it came to someone questioning their sexuality, especially if they were straight. "And, for your information I have an interest of my own."

"Male or female?"

"It's none of your business. Besides I hardly know you."

"Fair enough, but Olivia take some friendly advice. My earlier warnings about you hurting Scully, they still stand. I don't care how much she likes you."

Olivia nodded as she pushed her half eaten baked potato away.

"I don't blame you for her current condition. I know Scully can hold her own in her job. Heck, she's even kicked my butt a few times. But if you…"

"Mulder, I have no intentions of hurting her if that's what your concerned about."

"Good, cause she really likes you." He said this wondering if Olivia would pick up on his meaning, and knowing she had never said she wasn't interested in other women. "Shall we head back?"

"I doubt Dana's awake yet, but I would like to be there when she does wake up again."

"Let's go then." Mulder handed Olivia her jacket before grabbing his own.

Margaret Scully was sitting in the room reading when they arrived, and Mulder disappeared down the hall. Until they moved her out of critical care, she could only have two visitors at a time. They were planning to move her as soon as they had a bed open up on the cardiopulmonary unit. Dr. Branner wasn't comfortable moving her to a regular floor with the way her pneumonia was progressing.

"She's sleeping." Margaret smiled at Olivia, who she had decided was a nice girl.

"Hey." Scully opened her eyes at the sound of voices. "You made it."

Olivia nodded. "I was here earlier but your partner made me go to lunch with him."

"He's trying to make up for drugging me."

"He drugged you?"

Scully nodded. "I think he's jealous."

"So he drugged you?"

"He knew I was in pain, but he also knew I was waiting for someone."

Olivia blushed lightly. She noticed Dana's hair had been washed and brushed out. Margaret had been busy that morning making her daughter a little more comfortable.

"Mom, could you give us a minute or two?"

"Sure Dana." She smiled and kissed her daughter's cheek. "I'm going to head down to the cafeteria, can I bring you anything?"

"No mom, I'm fine." Dana smiled lightly as her mother closed the door behind her. Her smile quickly turned to anguish as she tried to find a more comfortable spot.

"Can I help?"

"I wish." Dana shook her head no. "Even the nurses hurt me when they help me reposition."

"I'm really sorry. I should have been there Dana."

"Why, so you could be the one laying here, or even dead? I know how close he came to puncturing my heart. I took this on, me and no one else. It's nobody's fault. I was doing my job, a job I volunteered for. I don't want to ever hear you blame yourself again. You were doing what you needed to do, what I told you to do."

"You didn't make me go out with Alex."

"You sure weren't acting like you wanted to go at the time."

"I would have rather spent a quiet evening at home with you." Olivia tried desperately not to blush.

"As you know, it wasn't a quiet evening. So what did you and Alex talk about?"

"Relationships."

"Really?" Was that disappointment in Dana's voice?

"Yeah, she needed to call an old friend and find out where they stand. She just wanted to make sure she was doing the right thing first."

"And that involved you?"

"We're really good friends, she needed a push." Olivia pulled a chair up and sat down. "Dana…"

"Olivia…" They spoke simultaneously. "You go first."

"No." Olivia shook her head, feeling like she'd lost her momentum.

"Please?"

Olivia took a deep breath. "I need to tell you something, and I want you to know if it scares you or you're not interested it's ok to say so."

"I don't think anything you could tell me would scare me. And I'm always interested in my friends."

"Is that all I am?" Olivia asked quietly, not thinking she would be heard.

Dana reached for her hand, and Olivia met her half way. "What do you mean?"

"This is going to be awkward." Olivia played with Dana's slim fingers. "So I'm just going to say it. I think, no, I know…I, Dana, I love you."

There she had said it, and it wasn't so bad was it? Olivia felt her heart thundering in her chest like a run away freight train. Dana wasn't saying anything, and all Olivia could do was stare at their still intertwined fingers. Finally Dana pulled her hand away, and Olivia braced herself. She heard her shift uncomfortably in bed, trying to support her bandaged chest and not cry out. Without warning she felt a warm hand cupping her chin and turning it to face her. "Can you look me in the eye when you say that?"

"I love you, Dana." Her eyes didn't waver and Scully felt a shiver run the length of her spine, seconds before a smile erupted on her face.

"And I love you Olivia."

Olivia told herself it was a dream, it wasn't really happening. Dana couldn't love her; no more then two friends loved each other. Could she? A knock at the door interrupted her thoughts, as Dana's hand fell away from her chin. "Come in."

"Hi, I just stopped by to see how you were doing." It was Alex.

"I'm doing pretty good." Dana smiled again, and Alex swore she knew what the smile was about.

"George asked me to give this to you." Alex stepped forward and handed a large brown envelop to Scully.

"That was quick."

"He thought you would say that, and told me just to tell you he knows what it's like."

Dana gave her a funny look.

"Are you going to tell me what's in there?" Alex inquired.

"I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you."

Alex and Olivia chuckled at her seriousness. "Speaking of tell?"

Olivia looked at Alex, knowing she was referring to her telling Dana how she felt about her, and nodded.

"I thought so." Alex smiled. "I need to get back to the office. Carmichael is supposed to call at two and I have an interrogation to sit in on."

"Farley?"

"Yep, he's still not giving us a statement. But thanks to you I think we've got enough to convict."

"Really? Did they find the knife?"

"Elliot didn't tell you?"

"No?"

"He found it last night in a dumpster the first CSU team supposedly searched right outside the building. If he'd been five minutes later, it would be on its way to a landfill."

"That's great."

"Yeah well if it weren't for you, we'd still be fingering the wrong guy."

"What's happening with Charlie?" Olivia asked.

"I had to give him a deal when he gave up his brother. Good thing you stayed away and he didn't lawyer up. He's serving eight to ten in minimum security, for assisted kidnapping, and child endangerment. He swore he didn't know what his brother was doing. I'm going for the needle on Chad, after what he did to those little girls and to Dana."

"I'm more worried about those little girls getting justice." Dana frowned.

"I know; I heard you last night." Alex smiled, "But we look out for our own."

"Thanks."

"I hope you continue to feel better, and don't let Olivia boss you around." Alex waved a goodbye and headed back to the office.

"So what's in the envelope?" Olivia asked.

"It's top secret."

"Oh, ok." Olivia looked away. "You were going to say something?"

"I already did." Scully put the envelope down on the side of the bed. "Or rather you said it."

Olivia gave her a confused looked.

"Lend me your ear." Dana said quietly motioning for Olivia to lean toward her. When Olivia's ear was close, she whispered. "I love you."

The feel of her breath tickling in her ear sent Olivia's heart racing. As she pulled back there was a smile on Olivia's lips. "You do?"

"Yes, I do. And why is that so hard to believe Detective Benson?" Dana flirted openly, before another coughing fit racked her body. This time she couldn't hide the pain.

"We'll have to discuss that later. Right now you need to rest. Your first priority is getting better."

Still trying to catch her breath Dana shook her head no. "My first priority."

Olivia looked at the envelope to which Dana was pointing with increased curiosity.

That night after she was moved to the cardiopulmonary floor, Scully insisted that Olivia get a good night's sleep and go back to work when she was well rested. She wasn't about to let the detective spend all her time cooped up in a hospital room, just because she was. Olivia finally relented, but didn't leave until midnight. She and Elliot stopped by at lunchtime, and then Olivia and Cragen came in together after work. Cragen only stayed a few minutes, and left Olivia talking to Scully. The rest of the week went by much the same way, with a different member of the squad coming in with Olivia at the end of each day. Mulder and Skinner had flown back to DC earlier in the week, leaving Mrs. Scully in a hotel at the bureau's expense.

* * *

><p>The following Monday, ten days after the stabbing, when Olivia stopped by at lunchtime Scully was missing the chest tube.<p>

"Dr. Branner says the pneumonia is improving, and I should be able to get out of here tomorrow."

"That's great." Olivia smiled.

"It's about time. I hate hospitals." Dana gave a half-hearted laugh.

Olivia's smile faded as the realization sunk in. "I guess that means you'll be going home?"

"Can we talk later? I'm really tired right now."

"Sure." Olivia walked out without saying goodbye, and for a minute Scully was afraid she wouldn't come back that evening.

* * *

><p>"Olivia, are you going to see Dana?" Cragen stopped Olivia as she was leaving the squad room for the day.<p>

"I guess." She half-heartedly shrugged.

"Could you tell her I'm going to be late?"

"Late?"

"Yeah, we have an appointment." Cragen smiled.

"Ok." Olivia continued out the door.

"Hey." Dana smiled when she saw Olivia in the doorway. "Mom?"

"I'll leave you two." Margaret Scully stood and walked to the door.

"Thanks." Dana waved to her mom. "Have a seat."

"I really can't stay, I just dropped by to tell you Cragen would be late."

Dana nodded. "A case?"

"No." Olivia looked at the floor.

"A date?"

"No."

"Then what's so important that you can't stay for a few minutes?"

Olivia shrugged looked so hard at her shoes the casual observer would think she had x-ray vision and could see her toes hidden within.

"We need to talk." Dana tried to pull her further into the room with her voice.

"About?"

"Us."

"What's to talk about?" Olivia still visibly avoided looking at her.

"Would you look at me?" Dana was trying not to get frustrated. "Olivia, please sit here." She patted the edge of the bed, and Olivia complied. "What's on your mind Liv?"

It was becoming more and more often that Dana called her by her nickname. "What's going to happen between us? You're going to go home, and I'm just supposed to do what?"

"Yes, I'm going to go home, as soon as my home is ready for me. I need to ask a favor."

Olivia looked up at her for the first time this visit. "What?"

"Let me crash on your couch until my apartment is ready."

"What?" Olivia blinked several times.

"It's not going to be available for another three weeks, and then mom and Skinner are going to hire some people to get my stuff moved. I can't do any strenuous work for a while, to ensure I don't get another pneumothorax."

"You're moving?"

"Have you been paying attention?" Dana snapped her fingers. She'd wanted to wave her hand in front of Olivia's face, but knew the action would only invoke a new wave of pain.

"Where?"

"To New York, and I thought you were a detective."

"What?"

There was a soft knock at the door. "Am I interrupting?"

"No Captain Cragen, come in." Scully waved him in, as Olivia stood up. Scully grabbed her hand as she started coughing. It was worse than Olivia had heard in a while, and it took several minutes for Dana to catch her breath when it subsided.

"Are you ok Agent Scully?"

"Fine." Scully took a sip of water. "I guess now's not the time to ask if you have any openings in SVU, huh?" Scully glanced at Olivia.

"Actually Agent Scully, that was why I wanted to meet with you this afternoon. Olivia could you give us a minute?"

"Sure." She let go of Dana's hand.

"And you're not to mention a word of this to the squad."

"You know I wouldn't Cap." Olivia walked out.

"Agent Scully, your supervisor and I were talking about you the other day. I was commenting on how we could use someone with your skills on our team. He accidentally let it slip that you had just handed him a request to be transferred the NY field office, of all places. So I got to thinking, and I turned in a request for someone meeting your credentials to be more or less given to us by the Bureau, kind of like George is. So, yes Agent Scully if you are interested I have a job for you. I can't promise it'll be glamorous, or anything you are really used to. You won't have a permanent partner, but I will let you have your own office."

"My own office? You aren't going to make me ride a desk are you?"

"With your skills, are you crazy?"

"What exactly do you have in mind Captain?"

"Warner occasionally gets backed up in the lab, and she doesn't just cover SVU vics. So you'd be helping her out, SVU cases only. You'd be in the call pool just like the rest of the detectives and you would be a floater. Meaning you could be partnered with one to two other detectives at a time, depending what the case demanded. You will not however be a gopher for anyone. Nor will I allow any of my people to go to a crime scene with out a partner."

"I think I need to some time to make a decision."

"I didn't expect an answer today." Cragen turned to leave.

"Captain?" Scully stopped him when he reached the door.

"Yes?"

"I've had time to consider your offer, and I would love to be a part of New York's finest SVU team."

"Well Agent Scully, I guess I'll be on the phone with the Bureau tomorrow."

"Thank you sir."

"No, thank you. I'll send Olivia back in."

Scully nodded in appreciation.

"I've had sometime to think." Olivia announced as she walked into the room. "Well, more like process what you said."

"And what conclusion did you come to?"

"You're crazy, and I love you."

"Well, that's nothing new to me." Dana smiled. "So?"

"Of course you can stay with me, as long as you need to. But you're insane if you think you're sleeping on the couch."

"You've got a sleep sofa."

"You're taking my bed, end of discussion."

"Has anyone ever told you you're bossy?"

"Never." Olivia grinned. "What'd Cragen say?"

"I'm transferring to the NY field office, and he just might have a position for me if the Bureau agrees. But if you tell anyone, Cragen will have your hide."

Olivia nodded. "Exactly how did you find an apartment? And where is it?"

"Mom went apartment hunting for me, and I trust her judgment. And, it's two buildings down from you."

"You're kidding?"

"No. I figured if the neighborhood was safe enough for you it was safe enough for me."

"What's your mom think?"

"She's upset that she won't have any family really close anymore, but she just wants me to be happy. Besides, I'm willing to bet she won't get rid of Mulder so easily."

"And Mulder?"

"He hasn't talked to me since he left. Skinner said he would put in a good word with the NY office, when I gave him my transfer request. Mulder acted like I poisoned his pet fish."

"How long have you two been partners?"

"Seven years."

"I'm sure it's going to be hard for both of you."

"I love Mulder, like a brother. At one point it could have been more, but he's married to the X Files. I will always care about him, but I need to have my own life, and pursue my own happiness."

"Am I interrupting?" The tall thin ADA stood in the doorway, looking professional as usual.

"No Alex, of course not."

"I just stopped by to let you know Chad Farley's trial date is set for next Tuesday."

"That was quick."

"Things have been slow, until recently. Helps speed up the right to a speedy trial." Alex pointed to her chest. "You're missing a tube."

"Yes, I'll probably go home tomorrow."

"Then I guess getting you to testify is out of the question?" Alex looked at Olivia, who didn't seem too upset.

"Well, actually Alex, I'm staying in New York."

"For how long?"

"As long as New York will have me." Dana smiled as Alex's jaw hit the floor. "I'll be staying with Olivia until my apartment is ready."

"That's great. Is that what the packet from Huang was for?"

"Yes, he went to the New York office and picked up a transfer request for me."

"Well, welcome to New York." Alex smiled.

"Thank you counselor."

Alex closed her eyes for a second, and shook her head. "Dana…"

"I'm sorry, I forgot."

Alex blushed. "It's ok."

"What am I missing here?" Olivia asked.

"There's just something about the way Dana says it." Alex straightened her posture.

Olivia knew exactly what she was talking about. She had the same effect on her when she called her detective. "Any new word from Abbie?"

"The case she is working on, is going really slow. She says she'll be lucky to get here before the end of March."

"Must be a big case."

"Yeah." Alex sighed.

"So how often are you two talking?"

"Almost every night."

"Sounds serious." Dana piped up.

"It was, guess we'll just wait and see."

Olivia looked from Dana to Alex and back again.

"She knows my preference."

"Oh. How does she know about Abbie?"

"Just what I've heard today." Dana smiled.

"Abbie's an old friend." Olivia smiled. "She was an ADA in homicide before she took a job in DC."

"Yeah, Carmichael's one hell of a prosecutor." Alex added.

"Abigail Carmichael?" Dana asked.

"You know her?" Alex cocked her head to the side.

Dana smiled. "Not real well, I've had quiet a few opportunities to work with her though."

"Really?" Olivia leaned forward.

"Mainly for expert testimony."

"So you've been in the witness box before?"

"Yes, Counselor I have."

"Well, on that note, I'd better get home. I'm expecting a call in an hour."

"Unfortunately I need to leave too." Olivia stood up. "If you're going to be staying with me, I need to re-stock the fridge and straighten up."

"Don't go through any trouble."

"You're never any trouble."

"Oh, I can be."

"Are you flirting Agent Scully?" Olivia teased.

"You bet Detective." Scully licked her bottom lip, and smiled when she saw Olivia's expression.

"It's getting hot in here." Alex opened the door. "Later ladies."

"Call me before you go to sleep, Liv."

"I will." Olivia blew a kiss to Dana; she could hardly wait to give her a real one.

* * *

><p>The following day Olivia took Dana back to her house, and her mom caught a flight back to Dulles around six. At Cragen's request, Olivia took the day off to get Dana settled and make sure she was going to be ok the next couple days without someone there. She was still very weak, and having a great deal of pain, but she dealt with it like a trooper and never complained.<p>

She was sitting on the couch while Olivia was finishing cleaning up from dinner when the doorbell rang. "I've got it."

"No, you stay put." Olivia rushed by drying her hands on a dishtowel. She didn't even glance through the peephole. "Alex."

"Hey, how's Dana?"

"I'm fine, Alex." Dana called from the couch.

"I just had to stop by and show you what I found on my door step." Alex was grinning from ear to ear as Abbie stepped out of the elevator.

"Abbie!" Olivia ran up and gave her a big bear hug. "What a surprise."

"You're telling me. Look at you Olivia." She held the Detective at arm's length while checking her out. Olivia did the same thing, admiring the thin woman. "I heard about your new interest, I have to say I am impressed."

"Looks like I'm better at keeping secrets than someone I know." She glanced at Alex.

"I didn't tell her anything, except that Scully had been a temporary member of SVU." Alex smiled.

"She didn't, but Olivia you've got to get a better poker face." Abbie tried to cover up her Texas draw. It always tended to get a little worse the further south she went. "You could have feigned ignorance."

"Come on in." Olivia led the way into the apartment. "Dana this is…"

"Agent Scully, I hear you're a local hero." Abbie interrupted the introduction.

"No, anything but." Scully replied modestly. Abbie's voice was thick and smoky, just the way she'd remembered it. "What are you doing in town Ms. Carmichael?"

"My case ended abruptly, when someone at the Bureau went over my head to make a deal." She flipped her long dark hair over her shoulder, before scoffing. "Something to do with Aliens and the shadow government."

"Mulder?"

"He pulled in some favors, basically knocked me right on my ass. Not that things were great between the US Attorney and I before that. So I decided to take off early and visit a friend. Not to mention, do some job and apartment hunting while in the neighborhood."

"She's got an appointment with Arthur in the morning." Alex told Olivia who smiled her approval. Her smile quickly faded as Scully began coughing.

Olivia sat beside her on the couch, helping hold her injuries for support. "What can I do for you?"

Scully shook her head, as she gasped for breath. "I'm ok."

"And I'm President Bush."

"You're much better looking." Dana smiled.

"Well, we'd better run." Abbie looked at her watch. "You need to get better Agent Scully so we can all go out."

"It's Dana." She started coughing again.

"Right." Abbie smiled apologetically. "I hope you start feeling better soon."

Scully waved her thanks as she fought to regain composure.

"Call me if you two need anything." Alex told Olivia before following Abbie out.

* * *

><p>The following Monday, Olivia was surprised to see Dana walk in with Captain Cragen. She was wearing jeans, and a sweatshirt she'd borrowed from Olivia. "You shouldn't be up."<p>

"Olivia, I'm fine." Dana looked pale.

"She wouldn't let me make any announcements without her here." Cragen smiled. "I'm going to call Alex down."

Olivia dragged Scully to her desk and made her sit down. "I told you I'm fine. Besides, I'm going to be in the court room all day tomorrow."

Alex had been over that weekend prepping Agent Scully. "Yes, but…"

"Hey, what's up?" Elliot interrupted when he came back from the restroom to find Dana there.

"I need everyone's attention." Cragen announced from his office door. Alex and Abbie had just entered and the squad room fell silent. Cragen crossed the floor to stand beside Agent Scully. "I would like to introduce the newest member of SVU."

"Wow! We get our very own hero." Munch reached over to shake her hand, but fell short under her glare.

"I will be putting out a memo in the morning explaining just how Agent Scully's assets are to be used. She still has a minimum of two weeks sick leave, before she will grace our presence full time. Welcome to the team."

"Thanks Captain."

"Guess I need to talk to John about your hero complex?" George smiled as he shook her hand.

"I don't have a hero complex."

"My point exactly, but he still thinks you are a hero. So does Fin. In the very least you're a damn good cop."

"I'm no better than anyone else on this team."

"Glad to have you." Fin gave her a nod.

"I'm not sure what I did, but truce?" Munch held out an apologetic hand.

"You didn't do anything John, I just don't like to be called a hero. I did my job, just like you did."

"My mistake Agent."

"And drop the formalities." She smiled and shook his hand.

"You don't have to tell me twice."

Elliot bent down and lightly hugged her. "Welcome aboard Dana."

"Thanks Elliot." She blushed as Alex and Abbie approached. "You're still here?"

"I'm leaving tonight to finish up my last two weeks in DC." Abbie glanced at Alex. The squad room was still relatively silent. "Jack talked to Arthur and I'll be floating between units, picking up cases were needed until something a little more permanent becomes available."

"Are you going to give Alex and run for her money on Arthur's position?" Olivia asked after Munch, Fin and Cragen gave their heartfelt congratulations.

"Nothing like a little competition between friends." Alex smiled.

"Actually, I'm not. I'm aiming for Jack's spot. But I told him I'd wait till he was ready to give it up."

"Are you up for tomorrow?" Alex asked Agent Scully when she noticed how tired she was beginning to look.

"As ready as I'll ever be."

"Trial starts at nine, I should have you out of there by noon."

"I'm going to stay. Might be one of the few chances I get to see you in action from beginning to end. Besides I want to see this one through."

"I'll see you in the morning then."

When Alex and Abbie had gone, Olivia bent down and whispered in Dana's ear. "You don't know how glad I am to have you on our team."

"Well, when I get better you can show me Detective."

Olivia's face flushed from the tone in Scully's voice. "Elliot and I will give you a ride back to the apartment on our way to follow up on a case."

"We will? I don't remember volunteering for chauffeur duty." Elliot joked.

"I can walk, I need the exercise."

"No." Elliot and Olivia replied in unison.

"Fine."

* * *

><p>Dana was seated in the courtroom next to Detectives Munch and Fin at eight-thirty the next morning. Alex was at the prosecutor's table looking over her opening statement. She called Detective Munch to the stand first, followed by Fin. She had wanted to call the two girls, but felt it was too traumatic to do so. For once she used her better judgment and followed her heart rather than her need. At eleven-thirty she called Agent Scully to the stand.<p>

"Can you state your name for the record?" Alex asked.

"Agent Dana Katherine Scully."

"And what are your credentials Agent Scully?"

"I'm a special agent for the FBI, currently assigned to the Manhattan SVU. I am also a medical doctor and forensic pathologist."

"Did you perform any of the autopsies on this case?"

"I did."

"What can you tell me about your findings?"

"I reviewed the autopsies and bodies of all the victims, as well as assisting with one, and completing another on the final victim we found. In each case there was a single puncture wound and the toxicology screens came back positive for Pancuronium Bromide, which is a paralytic drug used in surgery. Each girl had signs of sexual molestation both vaginally and anally. Each of the girls' necks had been slashed. There were also signs that four point restraints had been used."

"What did you find on the night of January 22nd, when you entered the abandoned building on 19th Street?"

"Detectives Munch and Tutuola entered the building ahead of me. Once we had made sure the first floor was clear, I found a stairwell leading to the lower level. Detective Munch was behind me, and as we descended the stairwell I spotted the defendant. He was standing over a child who looked to be around six years old. I announced that I was a federal agent and told him to freeze. He took off into an adjacent room. I told Detective Munch to stay behind and check on the girl, while I proceeded after the suspect."

"And what happened when you entered the adjacent room?" Alex asked as Olivia and Elliot entered the courtroom.

"It was pitch black in the room, and I was hit by something. It felt like a body. My gun was knocked from my hands. I grabbed hold of the person directly in front of me, as my vision adjusted to the dark. I felt a sharp pain rip through my side, and then another. With the second, my grip faltered and I let the suspect go. I was, however able to trip him. Once I had him subdued I was able to cuff him. Detective Tutuola entered the room while I was cuffing the suspect and that's the last thing I really remember."

"Thank you Agent Scully. I have no further questions." Alex turned and heard Dana start coughing. She turned back to see Agent Scully holding her side, and choking on the thick mucous trying to work it's way out of her lungs. She stepped up to the witness box, as the coughing subsided. Concern evident on her face. "Are you ok?"

Scully pulled her hand away from her mouth and quickly closed her fist. She was trying to hide the glob of mucous from Alex, but she wasn't fast enough. Alex saw the bloody sputum and turned to glance at Olivia before facing the Judge. "Your honor, I'd like to request a recess to check on Agent Scully's health status."

"Does the defense have any objections?"

"No your honor." The over zealous defense attorney appreciated a few minutes to gather his thoughts before attacking the Agent on the stand.

"Good, then we will break for lunch. Court will adjourn until two pm. And Counselor," The judge addressed Alex. "If your witness is unable to return for cross, her testimony will be stricken from the record."

"Understood." Alex turned to Agent Scully who was drenched in sweat. "Let's get you out of here."

Dana allowed Alex to help her from the stand, and immediately Olivia was at her side. They both helped her over to the prosecution table and sat her in Alex's chair. Alex handed her a tissue, while she looked at her watch. "We've got an hour and a half. What do you need to do?"

Scully carefully wiped with mucous from her hand without revealing it to Olivia. "First I need to wash my hands. Then I should probably head back to Olivia's and change into a dry suit."

Olivia felt her wet forehead. "Do you sweat when you get nervous?"

"I wasn't nervous, and no."

"I didn't think so. Fever?"

"No, just exertion from coughing." Scully stood up brushing aside Olivia's concern. "Now where can I wash my hands?"

"Follow me." Alex led the way. While Dana washed her hands Alex talked. "If you aren't up to coming back…"

"I'm fine."

"You are not fine." Alex was glad Olivia and Elliot were out in the hall waiting. "How long have you been coughing up blood?"

"I haven't."

"I saw it Agent Scully." Alex's nostrils flared. "So don't give me that."

"If you'd let me finish." Dana dried her hands. "I haven't before today."

Alex closed her eyes, visibly mad.

"Alex, I wouldn't lie to you."

"Does Olivia know?" Alex opened her eyes to gauge Scully's response.

"No, and I don't want her to know. It happened once, if it continues I'll let her know."

"You need to see a doctor."

"I am a doctor."

"O physician heal thyself?"

"Let's go. I seriously need to change in to a dry suit."

Alex nodded and followed her into the hallway where they left with Olivia and Elliot.

* * *

><p>When Scully came out of Olivia's room she had traded her gray skirt and jacket for black. Olivia and Alex both thought the color suited her better, except for her recent lack of coloring. Under her jacket she wore a cream colored blouse. "Feeling better?"<p>

"Actually Olivia, I am." Scully smiled.

"We've got just enough time to stop for a quick bite at the corner Deli." Elliot eyed his watch.

When the trial reconvened Scully was back up on the stand.

"Agent Scully, you said you work for the FBI and are now part of the SVU Manhattan team, is that correct?" The defense attorney adjusted his wire-rimmed glasses.

"Yes."

"At the time you worked on this case you were not officially a part of the SVU team, correct?"

"Objection, relevance?" Alex spoke from behind the prosecutor's desk

"I'm just trying to establish why Agent Scully was in the building when my client supposedly stabbed her."

"Overruled. You may answer the question." The judge looked at Agent Scully.

"Yes that's correct."

"And you said when you first saw Mr. Farley he was standing over the victim, are you sure it was Mr. Farley you saw? " His eyes resembled a lion on the prowl.

"Yes. When I announced I was FBI he looked at me before taking off."

"When he took off, why didn't you just shoot him?"

"I don't know what kind cops you normally deal with, but I don't just go around shooting suspects. There was no visible weapon and he wasn't running toward my partner or myself. He was fleeing."

"Is it possible he was fleeing because he was afraid?"

"Yes."

"Is it also possible he was standing over the girl because he was helping her?" He waited for an answer. "Agent Scully, is it possible?"

"Yes, I guess it could be possible."

"You also said it was dark in the room he ran into. Is my client the suspect you handcuffed?"

"No."

"Then is it possible my client isn't the one who stabbed you?"

"No." Agent Scully started coughing again before she could continue.

"But it's still possible…"

"I wasn't finished." Agent Scully regained her composure.

"It was a simple yes or no question Agent Scully. You answered sufficiently." He looked at the jury. "Now, can you say with any certainty that my client was going to attack the girl you saw him standing over?"

"Objection, asked and answered."

"Sustained. Move on counselor."

"I have nothing further." He retreated to the defense table.

"Redirect your honor?"

"Keep it brief Ms. Cabot."

"Yes your honor. Agent Scully, if you weren't officially a member of SVU, can you please explain why you were involved with the case?"

"I was in town for a Law Enforcement seminar. I was done lecturing and here for the rest of the week. I volunteered my services, and Captain Cragen accepted. My supervisor at headquarters approved the request, so I was on the case in an official capacity."

"Did you collect DNA from the bodies of the dead victims?"

"Yes."

Alex walked back to her desk and picked up a lab report. "The people's exhibit twenty your honor. And do you know what the findings of the DNA were?"

"It was an exact match with Chad Farley."

"Thank you Agent Scully. That'll be all."

"Agent Scully, you may step down."

"Thank you your honor."

"Your next witness, Ms. Cabot?"

"The people call Detective Olivia Benson."

Alex questioned Olivia about her findings when returning to the scene the following day. When the defense attorney got his turn, he was ruthless.

"Detective Benson was Agent Scully assigned to work with you and Detective Stabler?"

"Yes."

"Is it possible the bloody handprint was planted after the crime took place the night before, in your need to place blame on someone else for Agent Scully's injuries?"

"Objection!" Alex's voice echoed in the courtroom as she stood up sliding her chair backwards. She knew it was too late; the seed had already been planted in the jury's mind. "Argumentative, and irrelevant your honor."

"Sustained. Watch your step counselor."

"Detective, is it true the hand print could not be matched to my client?"

"No, it is not. There was a mixed sample of DNA matching Chad Farley and Agent Scully."

"Nothing further."

"Counselor?"

"The people rest your honor."

"Court will adjourn until nine am tomorrow."

That evening exhausted from the days events Scully fell asleep in Olivia's arms. It was the first time Olivia had been able to hold her without causing her incredible pain. She slowly lowered Dana so her head rested on her lap. She ran her fingers through Dana's long red hair, and was surprised at how warm she felt. Dana started coughing and woke up choking on phlegm again. She pushed herself up, and away from Olivia grabbing a tissue from the coffee table. Struggling to get to her feet while still coughing proved too painful and she landed in a heap on the floor. When she finally brought up the thick mucous she curled into a ball, pulling her legs to her chest and hiding her face behind her knees. Olivia could still see the tears streaming down her face, while Dana lay on her side.

"Hey?" Olivia sat beside her and reached out toward her. Dana only curled up tighter, her fist balled around the tissue. After several minutes her body relaxed, and her breathing finally returned to normal. She carefully sat up, keeping Olivia just out of arms length.

"Damn it." She whispered when she looked at the tissue in her hand.

"What?"

Dana had her right knee pulled up close to her chest, and rested her forehead on it not wanting to look Olivia in the eye. She let her hand fall open, revealing the bloody mess. "Dana?"

"It's nothing." She mumble, too tired to want to do anything about it.

"You're coughing up blood, that's hardly nothing."

"Which one of us has a medical degree?" Dana bit back with little energy.

"The one who seems to be lacking any common sense at the moment." Olivia replied. "You need to see a doctor."

"I am a doctor, and I'm fine."

"Who are you trying to convince?" Olivia asked.

"It's natural to cough up blood after the trauma my lungs have been through."

"Whatever." Olivia got up off the floor. "I'm going to go run you a bath."

Dana just shrugged. Ten minutes later Olivia returned and helped Dana into the bathroom. "Do you need help?"

"I've got it."

"Why am I not surprised?" Olivia shut the door and went to her room to call Alex. "Hey?"

"What's wrong Liv?"  
>She replayed the night's events in her mind while telling Alex what had happened.<p>

Alex chuckled. "She's just like you in that aspect, Liv. Hard-headed as hell."

"What am I supposed to do?"

"Give her some space. Don't push her. You are both still trying to find out if you can really trust each other. Be there, but don't get mad at her for being herself."

"You sound like your talking about sex, Alex."

"Well, my advice might come in handy then too. You know she's never been with another woman, right?"

"I guessed as much. But right now, that part of the relationship is the furthest thing from my mind. I want her to get better."

"I know you do. And it's going to take time. Just trust her judgment for now."

"Thanks Alex." Olivia looked up to see Dana standing in the doorway with a towel wrapped around her dripping body. "I need to go."

She hung up the phone and jumped off the bed. "Dana?"

Scully fell into her arms. "I'm so tired, I don't think I can get dressed."

Olivia helped her to the bed. "You've had a long day. Let me help you."

Olivia rummaged through her drawers finally finding a nightshirt that would be easy enough to pull over Dana's head. "Here, you can sleep in this."

Dana let Olivia pull the gown over her head and remove the towel. She then carefully towel dried Dana's hair before helping her under the covers. "Will you stay in here tonight?"

"I don't want to hurt you." Olivia whispered, as Dana grabbed her hand.

"You won't. Please." Her eyes spoke volumes.

"Ok." Olivia laid down beside her, wrapping her arms lightly around her stomach. She was careful not to come close to her wounds. As soon as Dana was sleeping soundly, Olivia slipped back out to the couch. She knew if she rolled over in the middle of the night she'd probably hit Dana in the chest. She wasn't willing to take that risk.

* * *

><p>Court started at nine am sharp, and the defense had a weak case. They tried to blame it on the brother Charlie. They were done with closing arguments by eleven fifteen. Dana hung out on one of the cots in the crib while the jury deliberated. At five Alex came in. "What's up?"<p>

"If we don't get a call in thirty minutes, it'll be tomorrow before we get a verdict."

"I thought this was an open and shut case?" Olivia stood behind her. She and Elliot had just come out of an interrogation.

"Me too. A slam-dunk. But the jury has asked several times to review the evidence. Randy played it smart when he threw in that comment about planting evidence."

Olivia fell onto the cot across from Dana, and Alex sat down beside her. At five thirty she looked at her watch. "I guess that's it for tonight ladies."

Her cell phone rang immediately. "Cabot? – I'll be there."

She shut off her phone. "The jury's ready. I'm due back at six."

"Let's go then." Dana and Olivia stood up.

"I don't have a good feeling about this." Alex commented just before they entered the courtroom.

When they brought Chad in, he glared at Agent Scully and mouthed; "You're mine bitch."

"Will the defendant please rise?"

Chad Farley stood up and looked back at Olivia and Dana. Both of which had caught his earlier threat. He knew chances were pretty good he'd be acquitted, or at least the jury would be hung.

"Has the jury reached a verdict?"

"We have your honor."

"On the soul count of attempted murder of a federal officer, how do you find?"

"We find the defendant guilty."

"On the two counts of kidnapping and child endangerment, how do you find?"

"We find the defendant guilty."

"And on the four counts of rape and murder in the first degree, how do you find?"

"We find the defendant guilty, your honor."

Before the final verdict was read, Chad had already bounded into the gallery and had his hands wrapped around Agent Scully's neck. She'd been caught completely off guard, as had every one else in the courtroom. She was barely able to breath through the constriction.

Olivia pulled her gun, and held it to his head. "Let go of her."

"I'm going to do the same thing to you that I did to those little girls, only you're gonna die a lot slower." He snarled before the court officer could restrain him. "I'm gonna have fun with you."

"Are you alright?" Olivia reached for her.

Dana nodded, having barely even flinched under his monstrous grip.

"Get him out of here." The judge ordered.

"I'm going get you too." He gestured toward Olivia with his head. Just before being pulled through the door, he yelled out. "And the Blonde bitch, too. You're all gonna die."

Olivia looked at Alex who still stood behind her desk either unshaken or in shock. Then she turned back to Dana.

"Order in the court." The judge rapped her gavel until the cacophony hushed. "Agent Scully are you alright?"

"Yes, your honor. Thank you." Her voice was stronger than she felt at the moment.

"Glad to hear it Agent." The judge then looked at the defense attorney. "You can let your client know sentencing will be held in two weeks, and if Agent Scully decides to press charges against him for assault, I will personally testify at his hearing on her behalf."

The judge concluded by thanking the jury for their time. Alex turned to Olivia and Dana. Red whelps were already forming on the agent's neck from where Chad had grabbed her.

"That bastard's lucky I didn't blow his head off."

"I'm glad you didn't." Dana smiled. "I'm fine. He's going to jail where he can't hurt any other girls."

"I'm requesting the death penalty." Alex spoke with conviction. "There's no way I want him out on the streets, ever."

"Let's get out of here." Dana stood up, her side hurting more then it had in several days.

"You ok?" Olivia caught the barely noticeable grimace.

"Yeah, just sore. Must have tensed up when he grabbed my neck."

"I tensed up and he didn't even touch me." Alex grabbed her briefcase.

That evening Olivia talked Dana into taking Tylox for pain. "Take two you need them."

Dana didn't argue, since Dr. Branner had told her to take two if the pain was bad. She hoped it would help with the fever she knew she was running as well. She had been asleep about an hour when Olivia's cell phone rang. "Benson?"

"Liv, we've got a call to go to." Elliot gave her the address.


	5. Another Vic

**Where Walls Once Stood**

**Another Vic**

Olivia's stomach lurched when she saw the body. Six-year-old blonde, body was in the same condition as the other's Farley had left behind.

"Copy cat?" Elliot asked Warner who was still looking over the body.

"Probably. Darn good one, but he's behind bars right?"

"Right." Olivia sighed, only feeling slightly relieved as she and Elliot started surveying the crime scene with their flashlights. Several minutes passed and they weren't finding any evidence left behind.

"Detectives, you might want to look at this." Warner waved them back over, pointing her flashlight at the girl's now open mouth.

"Paper?" Olivia asked, pulling on a pair of latex gloves.

"Yeah, and it looks like there's writing on it." Warner observed.

Olivia pulled it out as Elliot's phone rang. "Stabler? - When? - How'd it happen? - Why didn't they call sooner?"

He hung up and turned to see Olivia's face as she read the note.

"What is it?" He asked.

"It can't be him." Olivia held the note in shaky hands for Elliot to read.

Say Goodbye to Agent Scully.

"It is. We need to get back to your place. That was Fin on the phone. Farley escaped tonight when they were transporting him back to Rikers."

* * *

><p>Olivia had been careful not to wake Dana when she left. She was too preoccupied with leaving a note on the nightstand to notice the man perched outside on the fire escape. As soon as he saw her exit the building he broke the window, gaining easy access to the room. Dana never heard the glass shatter.<p>

He saw her cuffs and gun on the nightstand. Removing her gun from its holster he held it flush against her temple. "Wake up, bitch."

When he yelled, Dana finally stirred. Even in her drugged state she knew the feel of cold steel against her skin. "Don't scream, or I'll shoot."

Dana nodded complacently.

"Put your hands behind your back."

With some difficulty she did as she was told, feeling the handcuffs click around her wrists. Her body was being rolled roughly until she was staring up at the ceiling. She fought the urge to pass out from the sheer pain, until he hoisted her over his shoulder. It was more than her body could handle and she succumbed to the darkness.

When Elliot and Olivia reached her apartment, the front door was standing open. Elliot called Fin for back up, and followed Olivia with his gun pulled. "Damn it!"

"What?" Elliot ran to the bedroom having secured the rest of the apartment.

"She's gone. He came in through the window, and she's gone." Olivia snapped back into detective mode. "Think he was dumb enough to take her back to that place on 19th?"

"I doubt it, but I'll call Munch and Fin."

"No need to call, we're here." Munch stepped into the room. "Where's Dana?"

"Farley took her." Elliot answered.

"Let's go, Munch." Fin was already heading back out the door. "We've got the abandoned building. Call Cragen."

"I'm on it." Olivia already had her cell phone to her ear. "Captain, Farley escaped and Agent Scully is missing."

"Shit. Where are you Olivia?"

"My apartment, with Elliot. Munch and Fin are checking out the place on 19th."

"I'm on my way." Cragen hung up.

"He threatened Alex too." Olivia ran her hand through her hair, while hitting speed dial for the ADA.

"Hello?"

"Alex did anyone call you about Farley?"

"What about him?"

"The squad car that was transporting him had a little fender bender, and he escaped."

"You're kidding?"

"No, and that's not the worst of it. He's killed again, and he's got Dana."

"No?"

"Yeah. Um, we're going to have to put you in a safe house, or at the very least put a uniform in your house."

"What about you?"

"I'm on the case." Olivia eyed Elliot who was only half listening to the phone conversation.

"He threatened you too Olivia."

"I need to go. Elliot says there's a uniformed unit on the way over now."

"Olivia?"

"Yes Alex?"

"Be careful."

"Always." Olivia pushed the disconnect button on her phone and shoved it in her pocket.

"Olivia, he took her cuffs but left her gun." Elliot pointed to the gun on the floor half covered with the sheet from the bed.

"We'll need to check it for prints and to see if it's been fired." Olivia refused to think about whose life was at stake. "We've got twelve hours or less if he is sticking to his prior schedule."

"Elliot? Olivia?"

"Back here Cap." Elliot yelled down the hall.

"I doubt she even heard him break in." Olivia turned toward Cragen. "She was in a lot of pain, so I told her to take two pain pills. She'd been refusing to take anything stronger than Motrin, but tonight she gave in. When I left to meet Elliot at the crime scene, she was sleeping sound."

"Have we heard anything from Munch and Fin?"

Elliot shook his head.

"Well we should call in the Feds on this one, since she's one of theirs."

"She's one of us Cap."

"I didn't mean it that way Olivia."

"We don't have time." Elliot looked at his watch. "This guy doesn't keep his victims alive for more than about twelve hours."

Elliot pulled his ringing cell out. "Stabler – Yeah – ok. - That was Munch; the building is completely empty. They're going to meet us back at the squad room."

Olivia rode to the precinct with Cragen to let him know what they had found at the first crime scene, and that they'd already put uniforms in Cabot's apartment. She failed to mention any threats against her.

"Ok, what do we have on this guy?" Cragen asked when they were all in the bullpen.

"We've got his apartment, mom's house, his brother Charlie serving time." Elliot ticked them off on his fingers.

"Okay, Elliot and Olivia I want you to go down to Rikers and talk to Charlie, get whatever you can. Munch and Fin, check his old apartment. I'll grab a uniform and check the mother's place. Call me if you find anything."

* * *

><p>Dana wasn't sure how long she'd been out, or where she was. Her first thought was of Olivia, and what he'd done to her. In desperation she called out for her.<p>

"Shut up!" She felt the back of his hand connect with the right side of her face, whipping her head to the side. She immediately tasted blood. "She's not here, bitch."

"What'd you do to her?" Dana demanded an answer.

"Same thing I'm gonna do to you. Now shut up." Farley turned on a small lamp, which cast a dingy yellow light in the gray cinderblock room. He made short work of her clothing as he tore the nightshirt from her body. She flinched at the pain his rough actions had on her already battered body. "Oh, black lace panties. Too bad you won't be needing them."

Another forceful yank and she was lying there completely naked, aside from the bandages that adorned her right ribcage. Her arms ached under her, and she struggled against the cuffs quickly realizing her ankles were also restrained. Leaving her completely open and vulnerable. She watched in disgust as Farley pulled his jeans down, but couldn't seem to get an erection. This was where Dana made her first mistake. "What's wrong, can't get it up when you've got a real woman?"

He hit her again. This time so hard the room spun, but that didn't stop her. She was hoping to buy herself some time. "You're not a real man. A real man wouldn't need to rape little girls."

"Shut up!" This time he rammed his knee into her side, using the dressing as a target. She refused to cry out, and bit down onto her already lacerated lip.

"Is that all you've got?" She mustered all the strength she had.

"I said shut up." His hand clamped around her already bruised neck, pressing until she could no longer breathe. Seconds before she would have lost consciousness he let go. Gasping for air, she watched as he pulled out an eight inch hunting knife. It had a dual blade. One side of it was largely serrated.

She was quickly processing what was happening so far, while trying to keep her wits about her. As long as she was insulting him he remained flaccid. Which explained why he went after little girls, they would be too scared to do anything but cry. The light bulb clicked and she knew what he needed to get an erection, she also knew she would do everything in her power to not let that happen.

He held the blade to her throat; the chill of stainless steel gave her goose bumps. "Beg for your life, bitch."

"You're pathetic."

He reached down and painfully ripped the dressing from her side, before pushing the tip of the knife an inch into the healing wound. She flinched slightly but refused to give into the pain, even as he began to run the edge along the tender flesh reopening the wound. She could feel the warmth of the blood along her cold skin, trickling down over her arm to pool underneath her.

"You're a tough cookie. So much stronger than Detective Benson was."

Dana held her breath, and he immediately knew he'd hit a nerve.

"Oh yeah, she cried and begged for her life. I didn't even have to pull out my knife to rape her." He grinned.

Dana fought against her restraints. "I'll kill you, you bastard."

"Don't call me that." He punched her in the stomach. "Don't ever call me that!"

"You creepy, child molesting bastard." She spit out, just before he hit her in the face again. His violence was escalating, but he remained flaccid.

"I know what I'll do." There was that grin again. Yellowed teeth flashed between his lips. "I'm going to go pick up that blonde ADA and show you exactly what I did to Detective Benson."

"No." Dana panicked.

"What?"

"No, don't." Her voice was complacent and she had to close her eyes, knowing what was happening with his manhood.

"Don't what?"

"Don't, don't hurt Alex." She held her tears at bay.

"Beg, and maybe I won't."

"Please don't hurt her." Dana pleaded. "Please."

She felt him straddle her and felt something warm on her stomach. When she opened her eyes, his member had fallen from attention.

He turned the light out and leaned so close his nosed touched hers. "See I told you I was going to have fun with you."

* * *

><p>"What'd you find out?" Cragen asked when Olivia and Elliot walked through the doors of the squad room.<p>

"He's not talking." Elliot shook his head.

"Munch and Fin came up empty, and the mother says she hasn't seen him in six months."

"You believe her?" Olivia asked.

"I don't know. But she lives in a one-story ranch, and all the rooms were open. I don't think he had her there."

"And his apartment?" Olivia looked at Munch.

"Looks the same as it did when we finished searching it before trial."

"Damn it, we're running out of time." Olivia looked at her watch eight hours had already passed. Elliot reached for his ringing cell.

"Stabler… ok." He looked at the group. "We've got another dead body."

"Is it …?" A look of dread masked Olivia's face.

Elliot shook his head. "It's another girl."

Cragen looked at Elliot. "Give this one to Munch and Fin, we're going back to talk to Charlie."

* * *

><p>As they were walking into the prison, Cragen's phone rang. "Cragen."<p>

"Cap, we got a problem." Fin was on the other line. "There's another note."

"What's it say?"

"You've got less than two hours, will you even be able to find her body?"

"We'll call you as soon as we have anything." Cragen hung up and relayed the message.

"Let me talk to Charlie alone, Cap." Olivia asked.

"What makes you think he'll talk to you now?" Elliot gave Olivia a doubting look.

"Just give me five minutes."

"Five minutes, hands off." Cragen ordered.

"Not a problem." Olivia turned to go in.

"Hey!?" Charlie yelled at the guard who was walking away. "You can't leave me alone in here with her."

"It's just you and me, Charlie." Olivia rolled her sleeves up. "No one way glass to save your butt this time."

"You're crazy."

"You haven't seen anything yet. Anything happens to my partner, and you'll be begging to be in a room alone with me."

"What do you mean?"

"I'll make sure everyone in here knows what you did to those little girls."

"I didn't do it, Chad did it."

"Who do you think they're gonna believe? A scum baglike yourself, Charlie?" Olivia stepped forward causing him to shrink back against the wall. "Blood won't be on my hands."

"What do you want?"

"You know what I want. Tell me where Chad would have taken her."

"And you'll leave me alone."

"You'll never have to see me again."

"What's gonna happen to Chad?"

"He's going back to jail to await sentencing."

"And they won't think I had anything to do with those girls?"

"That's up to you Charlie. Give me an address."

"He would've gone to my mom's."

"Don't lie to me Charlie." Olivia clinched her fists. "We've already checked it out. Your mom hasn't seen him in over six months."

"There's a … he's gonna kill me."

"And that's worse than what the inmates will do to you?" Olivia took another step forward, standing well within his personal space.

"There's an underground bunker, it runs under the house. The only access is in the back yard."

Olivia stepped back and motioned to the guard she was ready to leave. After filling in Cragen and Elliot, the captain called Munch and Fin. "We're going to have to try and make it, they're stuck in traffic."

"Traffic? It's four in the morning." Elliot pulled out his keys.

"Bridge is closed, they've got a jumper."

"Great!" Olivia exclaimed already heading for the parking lot.

* * *

><p>When the light flipped back on, Dana found she could only see out of one eye. Her entire face throbbed, and she could no longer feel her arms under her. Without saying a word, Farley ran the tip of his knife into the previous untouched laceration. Dana whimpered, but was too tired to cry out. If Olivia was dead, she didn't know if she could go on. She had been holding on for her mother, and Mulder. She had fought back in hopes of keeping Alex from suffering the same fate. But she was losing her edge, and it didn't help that she wasn't at the top of her game physically before this happened.<p>

He grabbed her around the neck, grinning as she winced. "Cry bitch."

"No."

He squeezed tighter. "I said cry!"

"Bastard." She managed to barely squeak out.

"You're gonna pay for that." He picked up a broom handle and slammed it into her rib cage. An anguished howl escaped her, and before she could regain her whereabouts he was in her mouth.

When he finished he completely removed his pants, and picked the hunting knife up again. "I grow tired of you. Fun time is over."

He straddled her, and she pulled one last insult out. "You worthless bastard."

"I told you never call me that." He punched her twice in the stomach causing her to vomit. It was a mixture of blood and semen. She tried to turn her head to keep from aspirating on her own vomit.

"Time's up." He rested the tip of the blade inside her belly button. "Time to change MO."

He watched her left eye grow wide in horror. "That's right, I'm going flay you."

"Police, drop the knife."

Dana could swear she heard Olivia's voice.

"It's over Farley. Drop the gun." Elliot was right behind her.

"You're right." He lifted his hands above his head. "It's over for her."

Grasping the knife in both hands he made one last stabbing motion. The firing of a gun echoed off the cinder block walls as two bullets entered his head. Both Olivia and Elliot had gotten a shot off. Cragen stood directly behind them. Farley's body wavered for a second before falling across Dana's chest. She let out a moan that was muffled by his shoulder, suddenly finding herself unable to breathe under his weight.

"Help me move him." Olivia was already at her side trying to move his dead weight.

Elliot helped pull Farley off, and turned to face Munch and Fin who had just arrived on scene. "He's dead."

Cragen nodded, as he called for a bus and the ME.

"Dana are you ok?" Olivia was pulling her coat off. She could see the reopened gashes in her side. Both were still oozing blood, but had slowed considerably. Olivia placed her coat over Dana's battered and naked body, while Elliot removed the leather ankle restraints.

"You're dead." Her voice strained, as tears filled her eyes. "He said he killed you."

"He lied, and he's never going to hurt anyone again."

"There's a bus on the way." Cragen pocketed his phone. "How is she?"

"I'm fine Captain." Her speech was slurred, and her head was pounding.

"Did he?"

"No." She answered a little too firmly. Olivia glanced at Elliot who whispered something in the Captain's ear.

"I still want a kit done."

"I don't need to go to the hospital. I wasn't raped." She shivered under Olivia's coat.

"It still needs to be done, and you need to be checked out." Even with her face turned away Cragen could see the swelling around her eye and jaw. "Olivia, we're going to step out. We'll send the medics in when they get here."

"Thanks Cap."

When they where alone, Olivia removed the cuffs and Dana carefully sat up. "I don't need to go."

"Dana, I don't know how to tell you this."

"What?" She flinched.

"You've got his semen on you."

"I wasn't raped." She yelled loud enough the rest of the squad could hear her from outside the bunker.

"Ok, ok." Olivia looked at the abrasions on her wrists. "It's ok Dana."

"You don't believe me."

"I do believe you. But they still need to collect the evidence."

"I would know if I was raped, Olivia." Tears started streaming down her face. "I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"For yelling at you. I was so afraid he had already killed you."

"Elliot and I got called out to a scene. He killed a little girl and left a note, then he waited until I was gone to get to you."

"I was an easy enough target."

"This isn't your fault."

"I don't need your sympathy. I'm not some defenseless victim."

Olivia backed off, and a few seconds later the paramedics were coming in. While they loaded her on a gurney, Olivia told Cragen she was riding with her. She asked Elliot to stop by her apartment and pick up some clothes.

* * *

><p>Olivia waited outside while the doctor examined Dana. When she finished she came out and spoke quietly with the detective. "She works SVU?"<p>

Olivia nodded.

"I doubt she'll stay on after this."

"She was raped?" Concern plagued her features.

"Not," The doctor closed her eyes briefly, and let out a deep sigh. "There was no sign of vaginal or rectal trauma. She did have dried semen on her abdomen. Your perp must have ejaculated prematurely. There is also evidence of oral cop. She vomited while I was doing the exam, and there were pubic hairs present. She won't comment on it. Analysis of the emesis would tell us for sure. I've got your samples here."

Olivia took the kit and thanked the doctor.

"I got here as soon as I heard." Alex came down the hall. "Elliot called. I want you two to stay with me tonight."

"We couldn't impose." Olivia declined.

"I'm not asking. You're bedroom window is broken, not to mention it's a crime scene." Alex changed the subject. "Did he rape her?"

Olivia nodded. "Orally, and she's pretty beat up."

"Detective Benson?" Doctor Wallace walked back up. "Do you know if she has any family in the area?"

"No, she's staying with me waiting for her apartment. Why?"

"I need to suture her up before she leaves. She's got a nasty laceration above her right eye, as well as the two deep gashes in her side. I'm waiting on the x-ray results. She's also got a mild to moderate concussion, since she's staying with you I need to go over some things to watch for, seeing as she's refusing to stay overnight. If she complains of increased blurred vision, starts hallucinating, or vomits again, we need to see her immediately. They are all signs of increased intra-cranial pressure."

"Ok." Olivia frowned before walking into the room with Alex. "Why won't you stay over night?"

"I hate hospitals."

"You're a doctor."

"Precisely." Dana's forced smile was lop sided from the swelling and she still couldn't open her right eye. "Hi Alex."

"Hey." Alex was trying not to stare at the new wounds adorning her face and neck.

"I think you need to stay, at least over night."

"I'm not staying here, even if I have to stay in a hotel by myself tonight."

"That's not what I was saying." Olivia defended.

"Dr. Scully, I've got the results of your chest x-ray." Dr. Wallace walked in artfully snapping the x-ray films on to the light box. "As you can see you've got several fractured ribs, but that's not what really concerns me. I compared these to the x-rays you had done before you were last discharged. Your pneumonia has gotten worse, not better."

Dana nodded.

"She's been coughing up blood for the past two days." Olivia's interjection received a glare from Dana.

"When did you finish the antibiotic?"

"Four days ago."

"I'm going to have to put you on another round, which is just as well considering your lacerations."

Dana nodded, looking at the suturing supplies. "Can we just get this over with? I'm ready to get out of here."

* * *

><p>Before going to Alex's apartment they stopped by Olivia's to pick up clothes. Dana and Alex waited in the car. When they walked in, Dana didn't even pay attention to the luxurious apartment. All she wanted to do was get a shower. Olivia made her leave the door open in case she fell out.<p>

True to her attack, Dana didn't want to be left alone. She didn't want to talk either, partly from the pain, but mainly she didn't want to think about it. She sat on the couch while Olivia put on her pajamas. Alex waited with her, and then went to fix the twin bed in her makeshift office to sleep on. "You two can have my bed, it's a king so you don't have to worry about rolling into each other."

Alex knew Olivia hadn't been sleeping with Dana because she was afraid of rolling into her chest. "You ready to go to bed?"

Olivia looked at her watch. It was seven. Cragen had given her the day off. Dana looked worn out, the side of her face still swollen and very much bruised along with her neck. Olivia helped her into Alex's bed before climbing in on the other side. Despite the exhaustion and pain medication Dana couldn't sleep. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw images of Olivia's mangled and beaten body. Olivia couldn't sleep either. She tossed and turned. Finally afraid of disturbing Dana she got out of bed.

"Where are you going?"

"I can't sleep. No need to keep both of us awake."

"I…" Dana's voice cracked.

"What is it, honey?" Olivia walked to her side of the bed.

"Does my mom know?" She sounded like a child.

"I didn't call. We didn't have time."

"I don't want her to know." Dana looked away.

"This isn't your fault."

"I need to get dressed." Dana tried to sit up, but her body was too stiff to readily cooperate.

"Why?"

"I need to go down to the station, give my statement."

"It can wait."

"No, it can't."

"Then I'll call Cragen to take it. Alex is here, and she can sit in on it."

"No, I'm only going to recount the story once. Huang needs to hear it, and Alex is going to have to have it. It's easier to go down to the station house."

"Do you want me to help you get dressed?"

"No, I've got it." Dana waited until Olivia was out of the room to try to get out of bed again.

Alex was in the kitchen when Olivia came out. "You couldn't sleep either?"

"No." Alex poured her self a cup of coffee. "How's Dana?"

"She wants to go in and give her statement."

"Now?" Alex poured another cup of java for Olivia.

"Yeah, I couldn't talk her out of it."

"Damn it!" Dana's voice echoed down the hall.

Olivia walked into the bedroom with Alex on her heels, to find Dana sitting on the floor. "Are you ok?"

"Do I look ok?"

"No you don't." Olivia was relieved she didn't say yes.

"I can't get up."

"We'll help you." Olivia volunteered Alex, even though she could have picked the smaller woman up on her own. Carefully they lifted Dana back to the bed. "Look, there is no way you're up to going in. I'll call Cragen, see if he and George can't come over and get your statement here. Unless you want to wait?"

"I don't want to wait."

"I'll call." Alex offered and left them alone.

"Can I help you get dressed?" Olivia asked.

Several minutes passed before she finally nodded. Olivia gasped when she saw the bruises that had formed on Dana's chest and stomach. "I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have left."

"You had a job to do." Dana refused to make eye contact.

* * *

><p>Cragen and Huang entered Alex's apartment. Dana was sitting on the couch, with Olivia beside her. Cragen sat across from her, and put a tape recorder on the table. Olivia stood up. "I'll be in the bedroom."<p>

"No." Dana said softly. "I want you to stay."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah." Dana watched as George sat down in a chair Alex had brought in from the dining room.

"Start whenever you're ready." Cragen depressed the record button.

Dana started with him handcuffing her. She told them everything she could remember. How he could only get an erection when she was crying, or begging. Alex cringed to think that he had used her as a way to get Dana to beg. "I had all but given up when Olivia and Elliot showed up."

"Thank you for your statement Dana." Cragen cut the recorder off.

"If you need to talk about it, my door is always open." George offered.

"I just talked about it." Dana looked down at her hands balled up in her lap. "I have nothing more to say about it. I just want to forget the whole thing. I'm not a victim. I wasn't raped."

"Forced oral sodomy is rape, Dana." George was gentle as always.

"I'm tired. Did you need anything else, Captain?"

"No, that's all." Cragen thanked her and led the way out of Alex's apartment.

* * *

><p>"Can I help you?" Olivia asked as Dana pushed her body to the edge of the couch.<p>

She nodded. "I can't believe how weak I am."

"It's normal after all you've been through." Olivia wrapped her arm gently around Dana's waist and helped her to stand.

"You don't think I don't know that?" Dana bit back a little too harshly.

"Sorry." Olivia helped her into Alex's bed without saying another word. She pulled the satin sheets over Dana and smiled sympathetically at her. She was trying not to treat her like just another vic, but old habits diehard. "I'll be in the living room if you need anything."

"Where's my gun?" Dana stared at the floor.

"CSU has it, they need to dust it for prints. See if it was fired."

"It shouldn't have any rounds missing." Dana said thoughtfully.

"I'll let Elliot know."

"I want it back." She grimaced with pain.

"You should take something Dana."

"No." She studied the intricate design of the oriental carpet Alex had put down to protect the hardwood floor.

"At least take some ibuprofen." Olivia offered.

"I don't want to take anything. I'm fine."

Olivia sat on the edge of the bed. "Look, take something. I don't want you to be in pain."

"I'm not."

"You are. I promise I'm not going anywhere. I'm off until tomorrow morning. Take something. I won't let anything happen to you." She put a complacent hand on Dana's knee.

"Stop it." Dana pushed her hand away. "Just stop it."

"What?" Olivia truly didn't know what she had done wrong.

"I'm not a victim, so stop treating me like one."

"I didn't mean to. It's just," Olivia sighed. "I'm sorry."

"Damn it Olivia, it's not your fault. Don't you get it? You couldn't have done anything differently."

"I could have found you sooner. I could have not left you."

"I'm not some little China doll that you have to protect. I made it through the FBI Academy. I can damn well hold my own."

"I never said you couldn't." Olivia stood up. "If you need me…"  
>"I don't." Dana pulled the covers over her head.<p>

Olivia stood there for several minutes just staring at the tiny mass under the covers, asking herself why this had to happen. When she ventured back out to the living room Alex was sitting on the couch with her head in her hands. "Not you too?"

Alex looked up. Unshed tears lining her eyes. "He used me to torture her."

"If it hadn't been you, it would have been someone else Alex."

"Yes, but she knows me."

Olivia sat down on the couch and cradled Alex in her arms. At least she could hold somebody. "Shhh, Alex it's not your fault."

"I think we all need to crash on Huang's couch." She replied as Olivia ran her fingers through Alex's long blonde hair.

"I don't know if she's going to survive this."

Alex pulled back. "What do you mean?"

"I don't know. Maybe if I knew what I meant I could help her."

* * *

><p>At four o'clock Olivia took a tray with tomato soup and orange Jell-O into Alex's room. Dana was sitting there staring at the window. She jumped when she realized someone was standing in the room.<p>

"I didn't mean to startle you." Olivia walked over and sat the tray on the nightstand. "You need to eat something."

"I can't."

"It's soft food. I know your mouth and jaw are probably pretty sore."

"They are." Dana eyed the tray. "I'm not hungry."

"Try to eat a little."

"Fine." She picked up the soup bowl and managed to get down two spoonfuls before gagging. Olivia reached for the trashcan. She brought up stomach acid, and then dry heaved for the next ten minutes. When the spasms subsided she sat the trashcan by the bed.

"Stomach upset?"

For the first time since the attack Dana looked at Olivia's face. She was still avoiding eye contact, but any progress was good. "He came in my mouth Olivia."

"I know." Olivia stepped closer, wrapping her arms around Dana's battered body. After a couple minutes Dana pulled away with a steady stream of blood coming from her nose, her face masked in horror. "Dana?"

"I'm fine. It's just a nose bleed." She didn't even sound convincing to herself.

* * *

><p>The next day Olivia made a b-line for Huang's office. "Got a minute?"<p>

George looked up from a file he was reviewing. "I've got an hour if you need it."

Olivia stepped in shutting the door behind her. "It's uh, it's confidential."

"Of course Olivia. Have a seat." George smiled.

Olivia sat in the chair facing his desk. "It's about Dana."

"Okay."

"I think she needs to talk to someone, but I don't think she will."

"It's going to take some time, you know that."

"She won't eat. She won't sleep. She's not drinking anything, and she's refusing to take her meds. The one dose of her antibiotic I got her to take, she vomited back up. She's had five nose bleeds in the last twelve hours and refuses to see anyone about it."

"You're telling me this is confidential, but she needs help. What do you want me to do?"

"I don't know. Tell me she's going to be ok, that I don't need to worry."

"Why are you so worried?" George leaned forward resting his elbows on his desk.

"She's my partner. She's my friend."

"And that's all?"

"I… I don't know."

"I think you do Olivia."

"It's really too soon to tell."

"Do you think she's giving up?"

"I've seen it happen to strong women before." Was the only answer Olivia could muster.

* * *

><p>Dana sat on Alex's couch with her cell phone pressed to her ear, listening to it ring for the fourth time.<p>

"Mulder."

"Mulder it's me."

"What do you want Scully?"

"Did I call at a bad time?" She twirled her hair between her fingers. A nervous habit she hadn't indulged in since childhood.

"Let's see, you leave me to go to a seminar in New York, supposedly fall in love with some dyke, and decide I can handle the X-files by myself so you can pursue this little fling."

"First off I -" She stopped. "Did you say dyke Mulder?"

"I did."

"You know what, screw you!" She threw the phone across the room with out disconnecting the call.

"Scully? Scully!" Mulder hung his phone up and went searching for Detective Benson's home number.

An hour later Olivia and Elliot came rushing into Alex's apartment. Dana looked up at them curiously. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." She answered.

"Mulder called Cragen in hysterics because he was talking to you, and then he couldn't get you to answer him." Olivia re-holstered her gun.

Dana pointed to the phone lying against the wall. "He insulted a friend."

"And you couldn't hang up the phone before you threw it across the room?" Olivia walked over and retrieved it.

"Didn't think about it." Dana held her hand out for the phone.

"What did he say?"

"We'll talk later." Dana glanced at Elliot as Olivia handed her the phone.

"Elliot knows everything there is to know about me." Olivia reassured her.

"He called you a dyke."

"Oh, so you were defending my honor when you threw the phone?"

"I told him to screw himself first."

"Well, that just makes it all better. Do you know how upset everyone at the stationhouse is?"

Dana realized Elliot was on his cell to Cragen. "Tell the captain if he'd get my gun back from CSU you wouldn't have to worry."

"You need to call Mulder, and next time you're defending me hang up on the bastard."

"Yeah, ok." She nodded.

"Have you eaten lunch?"

"I will. You need to go back to work."

"Take care of yourself." Elliot waved as he left.

Dana's cell phone started ringing before Olivia got the door shut. "Scully."

"Scully, you're ok?" Mulder breathed a sigh of relief.

"No, if I were ok I'd be on the next flight to DC to kick your sorry ass."

"Maybe that's what you should be doing."

"What are you talking about?"

"Come home Scully."

Dana looked around Alex's apartment. "I have to go."

"Scully?"

"I have to go." She hung up the phone and called Alex at her office.

"Cabot."

"Alex it's Dana, do you have a number handy for Abbie Carmichael?"

"Sure, what's up?" Alex asked without thinking.

"I need to ask a favor of someone in DC. It seems my partner, my ex-partner, isn't in a very good mood."

"Anything I can help with?" Alex offered.

"Just a phone number." Dana jotted the number down on a piece of paper before hanging up. The line rang twice before someone picked up.

"Ms. Carmichael's office."

"This is Agent Scully, I need to speak with Abbie Carmichael please."

"I'm sorry Agent Scully, but she's in court. Can I give her a message?"

"Yes, can you have her call me at her earliest convenience?" Dana spouted off her cell number before hanging up. An hour later it rang. "Scully."

"Agent Scully, this is Abbie Carmichael returning your call."

"Thank you. I was wondering if you could do me a huge favor?"

"Sure."

"Do have any plans for tonight?"

"No?" Ok, now her curiosity was really peaked.

"Could you pick me up at Reagan national at ten o'clock and give me a lift to Georgetown Medical?"

"Can I ask why?"

"I, I uh, just need to follow up on something."

"No problem. How long are you going to be in town?"

"A couple weeks, maybe more."

Abbie decided it best not to pry. "Ok, I'll see you around ten tonight."

When Dana hung up she called the airline to confirm her reservation. The next call was to Captain Cragen. She explained to him that something had come up, and she had some accumulated leave she needed to take in order to be at the top of her game when she started with SVU. He told her to take all the time she needed. What he didn't tell her, was he had expected her to say she wasn't coming back. He assumed she would call him from headquarters when she made that decision.

Olivia and Alex were still working when she needed to get to the airport, so she called for a taxi and left a note.

_Olivia,_

_ I wanted to tell you this in person, but I had a flight to catch._

_ I have some things I need to take care of in DC, alone. I'll call when I_

_ can._

_ Love,_

_ Dana_

_ PS. Alex take good care of her for me._

Olivia read the note and started crying. "She's not coming back."

"Where does it say that?" Alex asked.

"'Alex take good care of her for me.' What else could that mean?"

"I'll be back in a couple weeks, watch over the one I love." Alex knew there was nothing she could say. Olivia had planned on going back to her apartment that night; Alex talked her out of it. She didn't get the message off her answering machine until the following evening.

You have one message, ten fifty-five pm. "Olivia, I was hoping you'd be home by now. Just wanted to let you know I made it to DC safely. I won't be able to be reached for several days. I'll call when I can."

She sounded bad. Olivia couldn't decide if it was depression or fatigue. It was five days before she got another message. "Olivia, I'm still unreachable. Hope to talk to you soon."

Alex reassured her Dana would be back; otherwise she wouldn't keep calling. Olivia threw herself into her work. Dana had been gone a week and a half when Alex called Olivia at midnight. "Did I wake you?"

"No." Olivia cut the TV off. "What's wrong?"

"I picked Abbie up tonight, she's staying here until her furniture arrives tomorrow. Anyway, we were talking and she knows where Dana went."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah, she called Abbie to pick her up from the airport and take her to Georgetown Medical Center."

"Thanks Alex." Olivia hung up debating on calling then. She decided it was too late.

"Morning." Elliot greeted before he realized Olivia was on the phone.

"Hi, I was trying to reach a patient. I'm not sure what room she's in. It's Dana Scully. – She left yesterday? - Thank you for your help."

"What's up?" Elliot asked when Olivia slammed the phone down.

"Nothing."

"Fine, if you don't want to talk about it." Elliot shrugged. Olivia had been in a foul mood all week. He reached for his phone, spoke briefly and hung up. "We've got a possible rape victim at Mercy."

The next week went by without so much as a phone call from Dana. Olivia and Elliot's caseload was light with most of the cases being open and shut. Elliot was at his wits end trying to deal with Olivia's mood. If she wasn't snapping at him, she wasn't talking to him. "You're off this weekend right?"

"What's your point Elliot?"

"Forget it, I'll see you Monday."

"Whatever."


	6. The Insult

**Where Walls Once Stood**

**The Insult**

Monday morning Olivia was sitting at her desk wondering why Cragen's door had been closed for the last hour. Elliot walked up and sat a cup of coffee on her desk. "Thanks."

"How was your weekend?" He sat on the edge of his desk.

"You know the same old, same old." Olivia forced a smile before burying her head back in paperwork. Elliot decided to take advantage of the lull and do the same. Half an hour passed before Olivia heard Cragen's door open. Out of the corner of her eye she saw a set of thin muscular legs clad in black hose walking toward her. They were too short to belong to Alex. She turned her head slightly as the legs stopped beside her desk, allowing her eyes to travel the length of those lovely legs. Just above the knee her eyes met the hem of a black skirt. Before her eyes could travel further she heard someone whisper; "Does your girlfriend know you're checking out other women?"

Olivia immediately jerked her head up to meet the crystal blue eyes staring down at her. Confusion momentarily flashed across her features. "Dana?"

"In the flesh." She ran her tongue along her right incisor, while Olivia examined her with her eyes. Most of the bruising on her face and neck was gone. The faintest outline of green remained. The laceration above her right eye was nothing more then a reddened scar. After enduring several minutes of visual scrutiny Dana cleared her throat.

"When did you get back?" Olivia asked coolly.

"Last night."

"Why didn't you call me? I would've picked you up." Olivia brushed her hair out of her eyes.

"I know." Dana smiled. "I needed to take care of some things."

"So is everything squared away?"

"Almost." Dana grinned mischievously. "Are you on a case?"

"No, catching up on paper work."

"Plans tonight?"

"No."

"Well you do now. Wear something nice and I'll pick you up at seven." Dana turned to leave.

"Where are you going?"

"My office." She threw back over her shoulder.

"How come we don't get our own offices?" Elliot looked up from his desk.

"I don't know." Olivia stood up and followed her. "Uh, Dana?"

"Yes?" She turned around in the small office to face Olivia.

"I haven't seen or talked to you in three weeks. We need to talk."

"Tonight. We'll talk tonight."

Olivia closed the office door. "I've got time now."

"Fine, have a seat." Dana sat on the edge of her desk right in front of Olivia, giving her a perfect view of her legs. Olivia tried to keep her mind on what they needed to talk about. "I really didn't mean to just leave you hanging when I went to DC. You worked over that night, and I had to catch my flight. After that we just didn't seem to connect."

"You could have at least told me where you were."

Dana tilted her head, a cute wrinkle formed on her forehead.

"Abbie told me when she got back in town." Olivia answered the unasked question.

"How is Abbie?"

"You're changing the subject." Olivia replied. "I was worried about you."

"I know and I'm sorry. I had a lot to process, and figure out."

"And you couldn't do it here?" She failed to hide the hurt in her voice.

"Olivia, it wasn't because of you." Dana re-crossed her legs. "I had cancer, which by some miracle went into remission. By all rights it should have killed me. When I found out about it, I was having frequent nosebleeds. So you can imagine my fear when I started having them again. I knew it wasn't abnormal with the abuse my face had been through, but I was still scared. I had to know if it had come back. The best way to do that was to go back to where I had received treatment originally. The nosebleeds were just that, nosebleeds. But the pneumonia was progressing, and my doctor wanted to treat it in the hospital. I didn't call when I got out of the hospital because I had to work through the attack, and I knew I couldn't do that here. I couldn't come back and pull you down to where I was. It wasn't fair to you."

"What wasn't fair to me was leaving me here worried out of my mind."

"I'm sorry Olivia. I just didn't want you to see me like that."

"Dana, I care about you. Nothing's going to change that. Not what happened to you, and definitely not because you might have gotten mad at me."

"Can you understand that I couldn't live with myself knowing that it was hurting you to see me like that? I knew if I stayed and tried to work through it here, I would end up hurting you. I couldn't do that."

"Can you understand that I care about you, and I need you to trust in me? In us?" Olivia's eyes betrayed her expression by showing her raw emotion.

"I'm sorry." Dana stood up. "Think we can start over?"

"No." Olivia glanced up before she smiled. "I forgive you, but I don't want to start over. I love you just like you are, bad times and all."

Dana smiled. "Are we still on for dinner?"

"Only if we're having dessert at my place." Olivia stood up, her grin growing by the second.

"Detective!"

"Save it for tonight." Olivia's body ached at the tone in Dana's voice. She leaned forward and placed a chaste kiss on her cheek. "I'd better get out of here before rumor's start flying."

"You're looking better." Elliot eyed his partner who just grinned back.

* * *

><p>Olivia opened the door to reveal Dana wearing a strapless black dress, which accentuated her figure flawlessly. The hem fell two inches shy of her knees. She was also wearing black hose and a pair of black Prada heels. Her shoulder length hair was swept up into a twist. "Are you going to stand there and gawk, or are you going to invite me in?"<p>

Olivia laughed stepping away from the door. "Damn you look good. I did mention dessert, right?"

"Yes you did." Dana stepped in, glad to finally get a full view of Olivia. Her hair had a little more curl to it, than her every day do. She had on a deep plum dress, so deep Dana had mistaken it for black at first glance. It had spaghetti straps with a flaring hem that stopped right at her knees. Interwoven in the velvety fabric was a metallic thread giving it a nice shimmer. "Maybe we should skip dinner and go straight for dessert?"

"You're naughty Agent Scully." Olivia teased. "I'd agree, except all I've had all day was a cup of coffee Elliot picked up for me."

"I'm going to have to have a talk with him." Scully smiled. "I managed to get a bagel in before meeting with Cragen this morning."

"I'm glad to hear you're eating again." Olivia smiled.

"Are you going to wear shoes?" Dana looked down at her stocking-covered feet.

"Oh, right. Give me a second." Olivia ran to the bedroom and slipped on an open toed pair of dress shoes, and grabbed her matching black handbag. "I'm ready."

"I hope you like French cuisine. I made reservations at this little French restaurant Alex told me about." Dana threw her hand up to hail a vacant cab.

"So Alex knows your back in town?" Olivia opened the door and slid in.

"I called her last night." Dana pulled the door closed and gave the cabbie the address for the restaurant.

"You get back in town and the first person you call is Alex?"

"Actually it was Cragen, to let him know my flight was on time and I'd be in to work today. And all I asked Alex was where the best place to take a beautiful brunette to dinner would be."

"Flattery will get you no where Dana." Olivia smiled.

"And I was always told it would get me everywhere." She rested her hand on Olivia's knee.

"You know I can check your story." Olivia gave her a shifty look.

"Go right ahead Detective." There was that sultry tone again. "I guarantee you won't find any holes in my story. I'll even pull the LUDS for you."

"That won't be necessary." Olivia sighed. "I'm just glad you're back."

"Good, cause I'm not planning on going anywhere."

"So why didn't you call me last night?"

"Because we both needed to get some sleep." Dana licked her bottom lip out of habit. "This is it."

As the cab rolled to a stop Dana got out, and waited for Olivia to accompany her. "Let's get inside, it's cold."

Olivia nodded as the doorman opened the door for them. They were seated in a quiet corner of the elegant restaurant. The overhead lights were dim and each table had a set of candles burning. "Alex really knows how to pick them."

"Yes she does." Olivia looked over the menu. "My French is rusty."

Dana laughed. "I slept through French class."

"Aren't we the pair?" Olivia flipped to the second page of the menu to find an English version. She then carefully reached between the candles and did the same for Dana. "Did you sleep through English too?"

"No, I knew I would need to fall back on it when I wrote my thesis."

"What was your thesis on?"

"The Einstein Paradox, but don't ask me anything about it. That was over ten years ago." Dana looked up as the waiter came to take their drink orders. "We'll take your best bottle of Merlot."

"Certainly."

"So aside from spending a little over a week in the hospital, what did you do in DC?" Olivia asked as they finished their entrees.

"I stayed with mom. Went to see the staff psychologist at headquarters. She helped me through a lot of rough times, especially when I was diagnosed with cancer. We talked about what happened, and I think I can deal with it now. Then I spent the last three days running through Quantico's different endurance tests."

"And your doctor cleared you for this?"

"I didn't ask his permission. I needed to know I was back at the top of my game."

"And are you?"

"Actually, I ran a mile in record time for me." Dana smiled. "Of course I thought I was going to die when I finished."

Olivia finished off her second glass of Merlot. "Dessert?"

"Let me get the check." Dana waved the waiter over and slid a couple hundred into the check folder, leaving a generous tip. "Shall we?"

"Of course." Olivia led the way out of the restaurant and grabbed an awaiting cab.

The ride back to her apartment was quiet, and Dana followed her up and into the living room. When they walked in Olivia offered her coffee. Dana shook her head no, and sat on the couch. Olivia slipped her shoes off and sat beside her. "Thank you for dinner. I had a lovely evening."

"That's my cue to leave." Before Dana could move Olivia grabbed her hand.

"No, it was a thank you." Olivia ran her thumb over the back of her hand. "Unless of course, you want to leave."

Dana gave her a full opened mouth smile. "Of course not, Detective."

Olivia shuddered. "You know, that's perfectly fine here Dana, but don't ever do that at work."

"Do what?" Her tongue slipped over her bottom lip unconsciously. "I'm completely innocent."

Olivia leaned in and whispered playfully in her ear. "I plan on changing that Agent."

Dana turned her head to the side, capturing Olivia's lips with hers. Merlot still lingered on her breath. She tentatively ran the tip of her tongue along Olivia's lips before pulling away to slow her racing heart. It was the first time Olivia had kissed a woman in years and not imagined Alex.

"What?" Olivia saw the amused expression on her face.

"I was thinking about Joe's special, I think it just moved a little further down on my list."

"And why is that?" Olivia raised a questioning brow.

"Because your lips are better than his subs." Dana leaned back in, pressing her mouth to Olivia's. Letting her tongue take the grand tour of Olivia's mouth. Exploring every nook and cranny. Tasting the warmth of her inner cheeks. She moved one hand into Olivia's soft hair, the other rested on the curve of her hip.

The fingers of one of Olivia's hands danced over her spine, leaving goose bumps in their wake. The other hand cupped the side of her face. For the moment she was fine with letting Dana take the lead, but she was also willing to move things along. She slid her hand to the back of Dana's dress easily finding the zipper and pulled it down. Her muscles were so defined under warm flesh. Olivia's other hand was making its way down to her chest when a muffed ring filled the room.

"Damn." Dana pulled away, both of them scrambling for their handbags.

"It's me." Dana held up the offending cell phone, answering it breathlessly. "Scully – No –Yeah. – No it's no problem. – Ok, I'll be there as soon as I can."

Olivia sat on the couch disappointed but amused.

"That was Fin, he wanted to know if he was interrupting something."

"If he brings it up again tell him you were doing aerobics." Olivia grinned.

"Yeah. I hate to do this, but we're going to have to put," she hesitated looking for the right words. "This on hold. He and Munch are on scene with a dead guy, and Warner's down with a case of the flu."

"Just my luck." Olivia mumbled.

"I'm really sorry."

"Do you know how many times I've been called out in the middle of a date? The best scene of the movie, and I always miss it. I understand. Doesn't mean I'm happy about it." She looked at the elegant dress that was beginning to slide off ever so slightly. "You know, you still have clothes here if you want to change."

"That would be good. I think I can spare five minutes." She headed for the hall. "Still in your bedroom?"

"Yes." Olivia smiled and moved down the hall behind her. She stood outside the door. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure." Dana slid her dress the rest of the way off.

"Have you ever been with a woman?"

"No." She looked through the suitcase. Olivia had washed her clothes while she was gone. "You can come in you know."

Olivia stepped through the half opened door as Dana pulled out a dark blue button down blouse. "Are you sure?"

"About you coming in, or being with a woman?" She smiled as she slipped into the shirt.

"Both."

"Positive. But I take it you have."

"Yes." Olivia watched her remove her panty hose, revealing silky smooth legs.

"How many?"

"A handful." Olivia sat on the bed and handed Dana her jeans. "But you're by far the best kisser I've ever encountered."

"Really?" Dana shimmied into her Levi's.

"Yes. I knew you were thorough in your job, but…"

"I find it pays to be thorough." Dana gently grabbed Olivia's shoulders and kissed her quickly on the lips. "One more for the road."

"Are you coming back tonight?"

Dana looked at her watch; it was already ten thirty. "Night's almost over, and by the time I get the body to the morgue and start the autopsy it will be too late to pick up where we left off."

"It's never too late."

"You have to remember I'm just learning the ropes, and I always give it my all. Besides, we both have to work in the morning." Dana headed for the door.

"Dana?"

"Yes?"

"Be careful."

"I will." She smiled. "Sweet dreams Liv."

"Damn, do you ever not look good?" Munch greeted when she arrived on scene. She had taken her hair down on the drive over.

"Call me at three in the morning and you'll be singing a different tune." She knew Munch was harmless. "What have you got?"

"According to his license, our guy is nineteen-year-old, Harold Combs." Munch pointed to the body. "Looks like cause of death was strangulation."

"See Fin, you didn't need to drag me out here. John's got it all figured out."

"I knew I was interrupting something." Fin smirked.

"Just my nightly workout." Dana walked over to the body and lifted the sheet. "You didn't tell me about this."

Fin turned away already knowing she was pointing to his groin area.

"Gives new meaning to loosing your manhood." John grimaced at the thought.

"Looks like they were removed pre-mortem. I'll know more when I get him in the morgue."

"Can't wait to read the report." Fin mumbled.

* * *

><p>When Olivia entered the squad room Elliot was already sitting at his desk. "You're here early."<p>

"The twins were up at four vomiting, figured I might as well get a jump start on the day."

"So what's the day looking like?" She slid her coat off, and placed it on the back of her chair.

"Munch and Fin are dumping the case they picked up last night on us." Elliot glanced over at Fin.

"Hey man, we're not dumping it. I gave you a choice."

"Yeah some choice. Wait for me to pick before you tell me our dead vic was robbed of his jewels."

"Ouch." Olivia dropped into her chair. "Was that the call you got last night?"

"How'd you know about that?" Fin leaned forward.

"I was talking to Dana when the call came in."

"She said she was working out."

"She was, I called about two seconds before you did." Olivia back peddled quickly. "Are you going to let me see the file, or are you keeping it all to yourself?"

Elliot tossed the folder across the desks. "It's all yours."

"Thanks." She scanned the autopsy report, before glancing at Scully's darkened office. "Where's Dana?"

Elliot shrugged.

"She's sleeping in the crib." Fin offered from behind his own file. "Didn't finish the autopsy until after four, and spent another hour typing up the report."

"You were in here that early?" Elliot found it hard to believe.

"She was working on something when I came in a little after six. Told me she was going to catch a couple hours sleep. Asked me to wake her up at," He looked at his watch. "Now."

"I'll do it." Olivia stood up with the file in her hand. "I want her take on this."

"What the report wasn't thorough enough for you?" Elliot asked.

"The autopsy report is fine, I just want her thoughts."

"Fine my ass." Fin tossed his pen on the desk. "Warner's good, but this girl blows her away. I've never read such a comprehensive autopsy in my life, and I've read quiet a few. So give her a break."

"Oh, I'll give her a break." Olivia put on quite a show for Fin. "I want to know where this guy's balls are. Did you and Munch even look for them?"

"No, we were too busy making sure we still had ours." Munch commented as he came in.

"Whatever." She headed toward the crib.

"What's up with her?" John looked at Fin.

"Doesn't like the female competition? I don't know."

Olivia stood in the doorway watching Dana sleep. Her shirt was slightly unbuttoned, and if she tilted her head just right she could catch a glimpse of her black lace bra. She knew exactly how she would love to wake her up, but it would have to wait for another time and place. She slipped quietly into the room. Kneeling beside the lumpy cot. Grinning to herself she ran her index finger along Dana's jaw line causing her to stir. "Wake up beautiful."

Dana blinked a couple times, trying to remember where she was and why Olivia was there. Suddenly she remembered and jumped up from the cot. The action knocked Olivia off balance and she landed on her rear with a silent thud. "Sorry."

Olivia laughed as Dana did her best to smooth the wrinkles out of her blouse. "You look fine."

Dana offered Olivia a hand up. "I guess I need to keep a change of clothes in my office."

"Can we talk about this?" Olivia held the report up.

Dana recognized the case number from the autopsy she'd recently finished. "I thought John and Munch caught that one."

"They're spreading the wealth." She smiled.

"Let's head to my office, we can discuss it there." Dana led the way. As they crossed through the squad room Elliot looked up.

"Nice performance Liv."

"Glad you thought so." She replied after making sure Munch and Fin weren't around.

"You've got Fin believing you're jealous of Agent Scully."

"Well that's better than what you're thinking, Detective Stabler." Dana shot over her shoulder.

"Hey, I don't think anything." He laughed as they continued to her office.

"Did you want to join us?" Dana asked before walking into her office. "You might learn something."

Olivia laughed as Elliot jumped to his feet. "Just wait till I tell Kathy."

"Hey, we're all professionals." Elliot leaned against the door jam.

"You acted like you had some questions Olivia?" Dana pointed to the empty chairs across from her desk, before sitting in her own.

Olivia sat down, and waited for Elliot to get situated. "Well, it's a very detailed autopsy. So I don't have any complaints."

"Best autopsy report I've ever read." Elliot interjected.

Dana nodded modestly. "So what's the problem?"

"Well, you saw the crime scene, and I didn't. And something you said yesterday, made me think you might have some insight."

"Actually, I do. Did you notice where the body was dumped?"

Elliot nodded.

"Not a gay bar in sight. Now, I really can't put into my autopsy report that our vic was gay, but I'd bet my life on it."

"You reported semen in the rectal cavity." Olivia observed. "But why does that make him gay? He could have been raped."

"There was no evidence of assault."

"So that automatically makes him gay?" Elliot asked.

"No." She folded her hands in her lap while contemplating the best way to voice her findings. "Most anal sphincters are tight, even post mortem. I can't say that I've examined a lot of dead gay guys rectums, but there was definitely a loss of elasticity."

"Okay." Elliot shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

"Anyway, if I was going to make a guess from what I've seen, I'd say he cheated on a boyfriend. Boyfriend found out, couldn't handle it… and this is what happened."

"Boyfriend took his package home for a souvenir?" Elliot looked at Olivia.

"Whenever the genitals of a male are involved, you can guarantee it's personal." Dana pointed out.

"We'll start canvassing family and friends, see what we turn up." Olivia stood up, and looked at Elliot. "Could you give us a minute?"

"Sure. I'll be at my desk." He shut the door on the way out.

"So when are we going to get back to last night?" Olivia smiled as Dana's tongue thoughtfully rolled over her teeth. Her smile faded when Dana's poised professional look over took her.

"Well, unfortunately with Warner out with the flu, I'm on call all week. I looked at the schedule and you're on call the next two nights. If we're lucky we could aim for next Monday when we are both off."

Olivia stepped around the desk, placing her hands on the arms of Dana's chair effectively trapping her. "I'm not sure I can wait that long."

Dana's professional mask faltered long enough to propel Olivia forward. Their lips met, if only briefly before a knock interrupted Olivia's advance. Dana swiveled in her chair. "Come in."

Alex opened the door. "Sorry, if it's a bad time we can come back."

Olivia stepped out from behind the desk. "I was just leaving."

She smiled at Abbie as she passed.

"Come on in." Dana stood up. "What can I do for you, counselor?"

Alex shut the door before giving her a warning look.

"What the hell do you want me to call you?"

Abbie gave them both a curious look; not realizing that Dana's use of the title counselor had the almost same effect on Alex as hers did. "Forget it. It's fine."

"Warner's out with the flu." Abbie offered in way of explanation of their visit.

"I'm aware of this." Dana rubbed the bridge of her nose willing the sleepiness to flee her brain.

"Well," Alex tossed down a stack of autopsies. "She was our expert witness for a trial that starts tomorrow. So I guess you'll have to do."

"Ms. Carmichael, would you excuse us for a moment?" Dana clenched her jaw.

"Certainly." Abbie stood up and gave Alex a disapproving look before walking out.

"What is your problem Ms. Cabot?" Dana stepped out from behind the desk.

"I don't have a problem Agent Scully." Alex stood up and walked briskly out of her office.

Dana didn't miss a beat. She was standing in the doorway, voice raised. "Warner's out 'so I guess you'll have to do'? I don't have to testify in court for you Ms. Cabot."

"Like hell you don't!" Alex spun around face burning red. "You work for SVU now Agent Scully, that means you help me make my case."

At this point all activity had stopped to witness the altercation. Captain Cragen stood quietly in his doorway.

"Fine, put me on your witness list. See if I show up." She suddenly felt like a five year old, but that didn't change the fact she was steaming mad.

"I'll subpoena you if I have to Agent."

"You just remember one thing Counselor, subpoena or not, I can make or break your case. I didn't perform those autopsies. I don't have to review them, in which case you'll just look like a fool for putting me on the stand." Dana slammed her door, and Alex stormed passed Olivia and Elliot who hadn't made it out of the bullpen when the argument broke out.

"Sexual tension?"

"Shut up Elliot!" Alex continued out the door.

"What'd I do?"

"Why'd you say that?" Abbie asked him in a hushed voice.

"You couldn't feel it?" Elliot replied.

"No." Abbie picked up her briefcase and walked out.

"Whoa." Olivia sighed. She'd felt something all right. It was radiating from Alex like stink on a dead fish. However she hadn't picked up the same vibe from Dana.

As if reading her mind, Elliot smiled. "You've got nothing to worry about Liv. Let's go follow up on Dana's insights. We might find out how good she really is."

Olivia had to smile at the thought that ran through her mind. Elliot pointed to Cragen who looked like he was on a mission.

"Come in." Dana looked up from her desk when the Captain knocked on her door.

"What's going on?" He closed the door behind him.

"Seems Cabot and I had a little misunderstanding." Dana answered nonchalantly.

"There was nothing little about it. Now, in my squad there is an order to things. Everything has its priority. My team is number one, the victims are number two. Now unless you can help me understand what is going on here, I'm going to tell you to shelve this disagreement and bend over backwards to help the ADA make her case. Do I make myself clear?"

"Crystal." Dana answered through gritted teeth.

"Now are you going to tell me what's going on?" He leaned against the door.

"No."

"Then I'll assume you're going to work things out and help Alex with this case."

"I'm going to suggest she request a continuance, until Warner is able to testify."

"Is that the best you can do?"

"Under the current circumstances, it is."

"Fine." Cragen opened the door, and walked out. He continued out of the Squad building, and didn't stop until he was standing in front of Alex's door. "Can I come in?"

"Sure." Alex pointed to a chair, as Abbie excused herself.

"What happened in my squad room?"

"You saw it, Agent Scully isn't willing to pull her weight." Alex sat back in her chair.

"Alex?" Cragen sounded like he was chastising a child. "I've never known you to be so petty. Agent Scully is more then willing to pull the weight of the entire squad to see justice done, if that's what it takes. Did you tell her you guessed she would have to do?"

"I may have."

"Alex, either you did or you didn't? And if you did, I'm surprised she didn't tell you to shove your case where the sun doesn't shine."

"Actually Don, she did. Not in those words, but she basically told me what I could do with it."

"She doesn't see how this is easily rectifiable, and will most likely contact you later today to tell you to ask for a continuance." He advised.

"I can't. I already tried. The right to a speedy trial prevails, who cares if you screw justice along the way. Besides trial starts tomorrow."

"Then it looks like you're going to be eating crow tonight." Cragen stood up. "Think about it Alex."

Alex looked over her schedule. She was free until a two o'clock deposition. She needed to take a walk, clear her mind. Just get away.

"Come in." Dana rubbed at her throbbing head, before looking up to see Abbie standing in front of her desk. "Have a seat, Ms. Carmichael."

"Its just Abbie." She took the proffered seat. "Dana, I'm not the enemy."

"Seems I've heard that one before, from one of your colleagues."

"Alex gets a little over zealous sometimes."

"She wasn't over zealous, she was malicious."

"I'm not trying to defend her actions Dana. I'm here to ask you to reconsider. We don't have any options."

"Oh, so you came back down here not because of my qualifications, or even any respect for our track record; but because you don't have any other options. I thought you were better than that." Dana jerked open her side drawer looking for her bottle of Tylenol.

"I came down here because you're the best damn forensic pathologist I've ever put on the stand."

"Problem is your not putting me on the stand." She victoriously pulled out the Tylenol and swallowed two tablets dry.

"So let Alex put you up there. Show her you're worth your salt."

"I'm not going to dignify that with an answer." She threw the bottle back in the drawer, and closed it. "I have work to do."

* * *

><p>"Cabot." Alex was sitting in the corner of an out of the way coffee shop she happened upon.<p>

"Alex, it's me." Olivia answered. "Where are you?"

"Some dump in China town."

"Give me an address."

"Olivia, I don't want to talk."

"You're going to let a sexual predator back on the streets because you don't want to talk." Olivia looked at Elliot for a minute before putting the receiver back in the cradle. "She hung up on me."

Elliot shrugged. "Why don't you talk to Dana?"

"Because she has every right to be pissed at Alex right now." Olivia opened the file on her desk.

"I'll never understand women." Munch shook his head.

That evening Olivia called Dana. "Come over."

"I can't." Dana sighed.

"You can."

"I need some space."

"You can tell me about it." Olivia pleaded.

"There's nothing to tell. You heard most of it in the squad room. Besides I've got files to review."

"Related to Alex's case?"

"I won't subject myself to perjury."

"Well, if your not going to talk to me I'm going to go bug someone else. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Night Liv."

Olivia hung up the phone and decided to go over to Alex's apartment. It would be harder to shut the door in her face, than to hang up on her.

"What do you want?" Alex opened the door, still wearing her navy skirt and peach blouse from earlier in the day.

"Can I come in?" Olivia peered over her shoulder, realizing Alex was home alone.

Alex walked back into her living room, and left the door standing open. Olivia took that as a yes and stepped in. She closed the door. "Where's Abbie?"

"Home, I guess."

"When's the last time you had some?"

"Excuse me?" Alex glared at her.

"You heard me." Olivia dropped into the plush chair adjacent to the couch.

"You've got a lot of nerve coming over here for that."

"That's not why I came over. I'm trying to find out what's going on between you and Dana."

"Absolutely nothing, she's totally devoted to you."

"What are you talking about?"

"Forget it." Alex looked down at her bare feet.

"Elliot was right." Olivia said thoughtfully.

"Right about what?"

"You… sexual tension."

"My sex life has nothing to do with this."

"Alex, would you stop and just tell me what's going on? Just talk to me."

"I'm confused."

"About?"

"Everything. You and me, Dana and me, Abbie and me."

"You and I are the best of friends. I thought we'd figured that out."

"Yeah." Alex looked up at Olivia. "That might change though."

"Why?"

"What would you do if I told you Dana and I kissed?"

Olivia didn't respond.

"You were working the Farley case, and asked me to take Dana to lunch. There was just something intriguing about her, and we ended up in the ladies room alone."

"I don't think I like where this is going." Olivia interrupted.

"Just listen. I totally stepped out of character and kissed her. It was unrequited, but she didn't pull away either. Well, not exactly. We both kind of broke the kiss at the same time. Someone else popped into my head at the time. She told me she had never kissed another woman, and while she found me attractive there was someone else. I immediately knew who it was."

"This was before you knew I was interested?"

"Yes."

"Who popped into your head?"

"Abbie."

"Then why are you taking it out on Dana and sitting here alone?"

"Because I don't know what Abbie wants."

"Have you asked her?"

"No."

"Well, she sure as hell didn't move back to New York for the traffic." Olivia picked up Alex's phone and dialed a number. "Hey, what are you doing? - Good come over to Alex's apartment."

"Where are you going?" Alex asked as Olivia opened the front door.

"Home, to my lonely apartment. You need to figure out things before you really mess up your life."

"What?" Alex couldn't believe her ears.

"You're going to end up screwing up your career because you can't figure out what's going on between you and Abbie. You're projecting her on everyone else."

"When did you get a degree in psych?"

"I've been there Alex. I know the signs. Forget about the DA's chair, because if you don't figure out things between you and Abbie, you'll be lucky to continue as an ADA." Olivia shut the door, hoping Alex could look past the hurt to see the truth in her words.

Twenty minutes later Abbie knocked on the door, Alex was in tears when she opened the door. Abbie stood there in shock, having never seen Alex cry before. She stepped in and wrapped her arms around Alex. "What's wrong?"

"Do you love me?"

"Do frogs croak?"

Alex pulled away from her and slumped back onto the couch. Abbie closed the door and turned the deadbolt over. "Talk to me."

Alex curled her legs under her and stared at the wall for several minutes. "You've never said it."

"Said what?" Abbie sat down on the couch, still giving Alex some distance.

"That you love me."

"Is this why Olivia called, and what was she doing here anyway?"

"You're jealous." The corner of Alex's mouth turned up in amusement.

"Of you, who wouldn't be?" Abbie smiled. "So why was she here?"

"Trying to find out what happened today."

"You know you're screwed." Abbie stated, as if Alex wasn't already fully aware of this fact. "You've got to be in court tomorrow at nine, and I couldn't convince Dana to change her mind."

"I can get her on the stand."

"Yes, but like she said, she doesn't have to review those files. She's a good person to have in your corner Alex. Smart as hell. But you went in there today and pretty much insulted her right off the bat, she's not going to just let that slide. ADA or not."

"Ok, she hasn't reviewed the case, big deal. I point out case facts and ask her professional opinion."

"And she can tell you with out reviewing the case, she couldn't really speculate. Whose the defense attorney on this one?"

"Tobias Woodward the third."

"He's a sly one. Damn Alex, I knew you were screwed, but this is bad."

"I'll figure it out." Alex rubbed her neck, remembering what Olivia had said. "Can we get back to us?"

"What about us?" Abbie looked at her watch.

"Never mind Abbie." She looked defeated, and it wasn't just the weight of the upcoming case.

"I just don't think there's anything to talk about. I came back from DC just to be closer to you."

"And I thought it was because you didn't like the US Attorney." Alex retorted.

"Well, he wouldn't look as sexy in that skirt as you do." Abbie leaned over and kissed Alex on the lips, before moving her mouth up to her ear. "Why don't I just show you why I came back, Counselor?"

As soon as the word came out of her mouth Abbie fell back on the couch, shock evident on her face.

"What?" Alex turned to face her, her new found excitement suddenly gone.

"I know what this whole thing is about. Elliot hit the nail on the head."

"How?"

"Sexual tension between you and Dana. How could I be so blind?"

"You are blind if you think that's where the tension lies."

"Well, then please explain it to me Alexandra." Abbie folded her arms across her chest, and waited for an explanation.

"You've been gone for two years, and in those two years you couldn't even call me, send me a postcard, a Christmas card, nothing. You broke off all contact. In fact you didn't even let me know you were leaving. I had to hear that from Jack."

"I was going to tell you."

"When the night before you left?"

"I was afraid you would react the way you did."

"I wouldn't have if you would have just told me. We had been intimate for just over a month, you didn't think I would care you were leaving?"

"I already told you I was sorry."

"I know." Alex nodded. "In the two years you were gone, I didn't date anyone. I was only attracted to two other women, or so I thought. One of them I kept at arms length because she's one of my best friends and I honestly didn't know she was bisexual. The other one, I don't know what came over me. I thought for sure she was straight. I think she did too. But I kissed her, and when I did, I saw you. I wanted it to be you Abbie."

"You kissed Dana?" She knew immediately from the straight comment, because she too would have bet her life on Dana's being heterosexual. "Is that why you insulted her?"

"Abbie, I have the highest respect for her, as long as she doesn't hurt Olivia. I really can't tell you what made me say that to her today. I know why I said what I did in the squad room, but I really don't know what sparked the 'guess you'll have to do' comment."

"My guess, you just had to keep up your reputation as a bitch." Abbie smiled. "But you're still screwed."

"I know. I don't want to think about that right now."

"Back to taking care of your tension?" She teased.

"Uh uh." Alex reached for the waist on Abbie's jeans as she leaned into her. "I'm going to take care of yours."

After unzipping her pants Alex's hands found their way inside Abbie's shirt. She lightly rubbed her thumbs across her protruding nipples through the fabric of her bra, causing them to grow even harder at her touch. All the while her tongue was wrestling with Abbie's in a series of unbridled kisses. After several minutes a breathless Alex pulled away. "Follow me and lose the t-shirt."

Abbie was on her feet in seconds, following Alex down the hall. Tossing her t-shirt behind her, it hit the edge of the couch before landing on the floor. Her left shoe lay in the middle of the hall's entryway, and her right one at the foot of Alex's bed. Alex stood in front of Abbie, taking in the sight; her light olive skin, in contrast to Alex's ghostly white. Some of the most perfect curves Alex had ever seen, and her flat abdomen. Alex pulled her in for another kiss, while at the same time releasing her breasts from their cotton prison. Abbie managed to unbutton Alex's blouse before she was pushed back on to the bed. The slightly younger blonde straddled her, Alex's skirt ridding up her bare thighs. Abbie squirmed uncomfortably.

"What's wrong?" Alex stopped the trail of kisses she was placing down the brunette's neck, afraid she had done something wrong.

"Denim wedgie." Abbie giggled, and immediately Alex went to work on ridding her of her jeans. The task completed, Alex went back to trailing wet kisses down to Abbie's breast. Her hands leaving her nipples only long enough to encircle them with her tongue. Abbie let out a small sigh, and Alex continued her journey dipping her tongue into the cute little belly button several times on her way down. As she reached the elastic edge of her white bikini panties, Alex brought her hands down. Abbie lifted her hips allowing Alex to easily slide them out of her way.

She could hear Abbie's breaths becoming faster and shorter as her hand traveled back up her thighs, spreading them just enough for easy access. Abbie's hand found it's way into Alex's hair, but Alex had other plans, and quickly moved it up to Abbie's breasts. Spreading her lips with her left hand, Alex ran her tongue over the warm moist folds, before finding her clit and sucking it gently between her lips. Abbie moaned and arched her back as Alex pushed first one, and then two fingers deep inside her. Sliding them in and out while slowly rotating them, her mouth and tongue never neglecting their duty. Her own wetness was growing by the second.

Abbie shuddered and Alex could feel her walls spasm against her fingers, before her body relaxed. Alex pulled her fingers out with a grin spreading across her face. She climbed up and lay beside Abbie, encircling her naked body with her arms. After a few seconds Abbie finally spoke. "You were wonderful."

Alex just quietly nodded as Abbie rolled on her side to face her. She planted a few chaste kisses on her cheek as her hand wandered down to the hem of Alex's skirt. Her thin fingers were snaking their way under it, when Alex's hand stopped them.

"I want to reciprocate." Abbie looked at her with desire burning in her brown eyes.

"Later." Alex pulled her hand up and kissed the back of it. "I want to keep my edge for this case."

Abbie laughed. "You're not being fair. I want to be able to cross examine you."

"You know I don't like to talk shop in bed." Alex grinned. "You'll get your chance, just let me finish this case first."

Abbie nodded, knowing if things went as badly as she expected them too, Alex was going to need more than a good cross exam by her. "Have I ever told you I love you?"

"No Abbie, you haven't."

"Good." Abbie smiled, and kissed Alex on the lips. She then snuggled her head into the space between Alex's chin and shoulder, and before drifting off to sleep she whispered. "I love you Alexandra Cabot."

Alex smiled to herself and planted a goodnight kiss in Abbie's dark brown hair.


	7. The Professional

Where Walls Once Stood

7/8 The Professional

Dana walked into the squad room clad in a tea-length black skirt with a long slit up the back, a white tailored blouse and a matching black blazer. Olivia was already seated at her desk in a pair of gray slacks and an azure button down blouse. She looked up just in time to see an exhausted Dana enter the room. "Don't you look snazzy?"

Dana looked at her watch. "I've got to be in court in half an hour."

"You're going?" Elliot asked.

"Do I have a choice?" She smiled weakly.

"She served you?" Olivia asked, hoping Alex would have mentioned it.

"No." Dana stifled a yawn and looked around. "Where are the two clowns?"

"Out with the flu." Elliot rubbed his forehead mindlessly.

"Both of them?" Dana questioned.

"Yep." Olivia nodded. "Speaking of flu, you don't look so hot yourself."

"Just tired." Dana held up the case reports she spent the entire night reviewing. She turned to look directly at Elliot. "You feeling alright Elliot?"

"Fine." He brushed her concern off.

"I thought he looked a little pale today, but he assures me it's my imagination." Olivia watched as Dana frowned and reached over touching his forehead with the back of her hand.

"Elliot, you're burning up."

"I'm fine."

"You need to go home." Dana looked from him to Olivia.

"I don't have the flu. I'm fine." He answered, noticing Olivia nodding to someone behind him.

"Elliot," Cragen announced his presence in the bullpen. "Go home, you don't need to spread the wealth."

"Cap, I'm fine. You can't afford to send me home."

"I'll put Olivia and Dana together. They can handle the most pressing cases, and when the rest of the squad is feeling better we'll play catch up."

Dana looked at her watch. "I'd better get going, or I'm going to be late."

As she walked out, Cragen looked at Olivia who answered his inquiring look. "Court."

"Why the change of heart?"

"If I had to guess. I'd say it's because above all else, she's a professional." Olivia shrugged and looked at Elliot. "Get out of here germ boy."

* * *

><p>Abbie turned around when she heard the click of heels entering the courtroom. Alex was standing beside her, searching her briefcase for the autopsy files. "I know I put the copies in here."<p>

"Are you sure you made copies before you dumped them on Agent Scully's desk?" Abbie watched the redhead walking up the center isle.

"I'm sure I copied it." Alex wrinkled her brow.

"Ahem." Dana cleared her throat.

Alex turned around. "Agent Scully?"

"Were you expecting Santa Clause?" She held up the autopsy reports.

"Actually, I'd be less surprised to see him here." Alex took the files. "Thank you."

"Don't thank me yet counselor."

"Oh, think you could add anymore ice to that?" Alex felt Abbie's hand on her forearm, and took a deep breath.

"You're going to testify?" Abbie dropped her hand to her side, as Dana nodded.

Alex turned back to the prosecution table to review her opening statement. When she called Agent Scully to the stand, she asked all the right questions and was even more surprised to see she had been doing her homework. The defense attorney declined to question her and she headed back to the precinct.

* * *

><p>Olivia looked up from her desk when she saw the shock of red hair enter the room. "How'd it go?"<p>

Dana shrugged looking down at the scribbled note in Olivia's hand. "What've you got?"

"Dead male missing his reproductive organs."

"Another one?" Dana sighed, as Olivia nodded. "Guess I was wrong on the disgruntled boyfriend."

"You weren't the only one. Huang agreed with your line of thought. I'll drive you look exhausted."

"No rest for the weary." She forced a smile. Pulling her coat shut as she followed Olivia out to pick up a precinct sedan.

* * *

><p>Olivia was back behind her desk at four-thirty when Alex and Abbie walked in. "Where is everyone?"<p>

Olivia looked up and glanced at the three empty desks. "Flu. I guess the boys didn't get their shots. Trial over?"

"Just let out." Abbie nodded.

"Where's Scully?" Alex looked toward the darkened office.

"Morgue. How'd the trial go?"

"That's what I needed to talk to Agent Scully about." Alex smiled briefly.

"You can't tell me?" Olivia frowned and buried herself back in her paper work.

"Have her give me a call, I owe her an apology."

"That's an understatement." Olivia mumbled. "Did you at least get your other problems figured out?"

Alex gave a playful shrug, as Abbie replied. "We owe you one."

Olivia smiled. "Glad I could help."

"When are you two off again?" Alex ran her index finger along the edge of Elliot's desk.

"Depends on how long the rest of the crew stays sick. Right now Dana, Cragen and I are it."

"We've got another body Olivia." Cragen was pulling on his coat. "Dana's gonna meet us at the scene."

"We just got back." Olivia sighed.

"Yeah, Agent Scully said I caught her just before she started slicing and dicing." Cragen held up the keys.

"Have fun." Alex called after them, feeling sorry for the threesome, she commented on how tired Agent Scully had looked that morning.

"Yeah, but she pulled it together before she got on the stand." Abbie observed. "So are you ready to go celebrate?"

"Depends on what you have in mind Counselor."

"I know someone who needs to be cross examined." Abbie smiled seductively.

Alex frowned as her cell phone chirped. "Cabot – Sure, I'll be right over."

"Arthur?"

"Yeah, wants to see me in his office."

"Just you?"

"Yes, and I have a feeling I know what it's about?" When Abbie gave her a perplexed look, she continued. "I'm sure someone went to him about my treatment of Agent Scully."

"She wouldn't have." Abbie reassured her. "Look, why don't you meet with him, go home and change into something comfortable and we'll eat at my place around seven."

"Sounds great." Alex tried to hide her dread.

"It'll be fine. Good luck."

* * *

><p>At six-fifteen Abbie's doorbell sounded. She flipped her dark hair over her shoulder before opening the door to reveal a smiling Alex. She was wearing faded blue jeans that barely hugged her hips and a tight black cotton shirt. In her hand she held a six-pack of Corona. "I wasn't sure what we were having for dinner."<p>

"Come on in, sexy." Abbie took the six-pack from her. "We're having lasagna, and you won't be needing this to have a good time tonight."

Alex closed the door and pushed the slide lock into place. "You were right, Dana didn't go to Arthur. He just wanted to congratulate me on pulling that case out of the hopper."

"That's great." Abbie strolled back into the kitchen and put the Corona in the fridge. "Dinner will be ready in about thirty minutes."

"Smells wonderful."

Abbie jumped, she hadn't realized Alex had followed her into the kitchen. "Let's go sit in the living room."

Alex let Abbie lead her back, and joined her on the couch. Soft jazz tones filtered out of the speakers. "What's wrong?"

Alex looked at Abbie for a long minute before clearing her throat. "I just feel really bad for what I did to Dana."

"Alexandra Cabot the great, actually feels sorry for something job-related?" Abbie teased as she pushed a lock of Alex's golden hair behind her ear.

"I really do." Alex turned her head toward the soft touch of Abbie's hand, her senses immediately heightened. "I couldn't have won that case without her testimony."

"And she didn't even make you kiss her ass, to come through for you."

"You'd like to see that wouldn't you?" Alex smirked.

"Metaphorically yes, but literally my ass is the only one I want you kissing." Abbie's eyes wandered over the arc of Alex's breasts.

"That can be arranged." Alex sighed, completely aware of Abbie's eyes traveling over her body. She closed her eyes and rested her head on the back of the couch. She wasn't sure how much time had passed when she felt a hand on her knee.

"Alex, time to eat." Abbie took her hand and led her to the small intimate dining room where the plates were already fixed.

When they finished Alex picked up the plates, and Abbie shook her head. "I'll get those, later. There's something else I need you to do."

"Hmm?" Alex raised an eyebrow.

"Give me two minutes." Abbie disappeared to the bedroom and returned a few minutes later grinning. "I need you to go in the bedroom, and slip into nothing but the sheets. I'll be in shortly."

"Um, ok?" Alex disappeared down the hall finding the bedroom on the second try. The first door led to Abbie's office, which was still in boxes. In the bedroom there were at least fifty candles lit and placed along the walls. On the bed a clean set of red satin sheets. Alex folded her clothes setting them on Abbie's dresser before sliding between the slick sheets.

"I always wondered what a blue-eyed, naked blonde would look like in my bed." Abbie smiled in the doorway. "And I have to say you look better than I ever dreamt."

Alex blushed, suddenly feeling self-conscious as Abbie stripped down in front of her. Sure she had all the confidence in the world when she was in her element, the courtroom or anything remotely linked to justice. Lying there naked, with out a suit insight, she suddenly longed to be somewhere else.

"What's wrong?" Abbie slid in beside her. She knew the look.

"Nothing."

"You don't believe you're beautiful?" Abbie questioned, running her hand along Alex's jaw line.

"I guess I'm ok." Alex shrugged.

"No, you are more than just ok. You are a total hottie. I ask myself how I ever got so lucky to find you." Abbie leaned over and kissed her before she could argue. "Now Counselor, I'm going to show you exactly what I came back to New York for. And it's definitely not the Yankees"

Alex gasped, as Abbie whispered; "I don't want you to do anything but enjoy."

* * *

><p>Ten-thirty Dana returned to the morgue with Olivia in tow. "I'm going to go change into scrubs."<p>

"Did you even sleep last night?" Olivia blocked the exit.

"Who had time to sleep?" She laughed nervously. "I had a case to prepare for."

"Go home and get some sleep. The bodies can wait."

"No they can't." Dana glanced at the slab.

"They're dead, they aren't going anywhere." Olivia crossed her arms over her chest in a defensive manner. "You haven't eaten today."

"How would you know?"

"Because aside from your time in court and the few minutes you spent over here, you've been with me."

"Olivia, I've got work to do."

"And I said it can wait until tomorrow. You've had two hours of sleep in the last…" Olivia looked at her watch and calculated the number in her head. "Sixty-four hours. If you can call napping in the crib sleep."

"And what happens tomorrow when I get more DBs to slice and dice? Or we're too busy canvassing for suspects for me to do these autopsies? Warner's not here."

"You need to eat at least."

"After." Dana's voice held more conviction than her body did.

"I'm staying." Olivia announced.

"You're going home and going to bed. One of us has to be able to drive tomorrow. I've got my gun, I'll be fine." Dana yawned. "I'll see you in the morning."

Olivia gave up and went home. Dana had a point; someone had to be able to drive.

* * *

><p>The sun rose to find Dana still in the morgue, and when Cragen came in at six-thirty she was just finishing up the second body. "How's it going?"<p>

"Same basic findings as the other bodies, except this last one had evidence of forced sodomy."

"Great." Cragen watched her pull the tapes out of the recorder. "Let me take those to transcription for you."

"I type up my own reports, sir."

"Not today you don't. You need some sleep. Crash in the crib and Olivia or I will wake you if we need you."

"All I need is a shower." She held on to the tapes.

"Don't argue with me." He held out his hand, and she finally relinquished the recordings.

Dana grabbed a shower and showed up in the bullpen with wet hair and fresh clothes. Olivia was pulling on her jacket. "Where are we going?"

"Cragen and I are going to Mercy, college student claims she was raped. You're going to the crib."

"Hey Cap, I've got this one." Dana stuck her head in his office. He waved her on while he finished his phone conversation.

The day didn't get any better. They left the hospital and went to canvas Hudson's campus. Out of the students they talked to no one claimed to have seen anything. "She's going to get with a sketch artist later this afternoon, let's wait till we have more to go on."

Dana nodded as her cell phone came to life. She held it up and turned it so Olivia could read the incoming number. "It's Alex."

"Can't be that important then." She pocketed the phone. When her phone quit ringing Olivia's started.

"Benson." She listened for several minutes said goodbye and hung up. "That's the one six, they have a questionable erotic asphyxiation, versus suicide. They want us to take a look at."

"Great another body." Dana followed Olivia back to the car.

At five they met with Andrea, the rape victim from Hudson and their sketch artist, coming up with a half way decent sketch if they could just find the match. Olivia order Chinese for the three of them and told Dana she would take Cragen to canvas the campus with the sketch. Dana excused herself before the food arrived to return to the morgue. "One asphyxiated dead woman coming up."

* * *

><p>Dana returned to a darkened squad room sometime after midnight. Olivia was slumped over her desk sleeping. Cragen was either in the crib, or had gone home. Dana went in her office and closed the door. She had gone down to transcription and found her tapes from the night before which hadn't even been touched. She decided if the job was going to get done. She would have to do it. She looked down at a note written in red. The handwriting was too neat to belong to Huang, or Cragen. She picked it up knowing Olivia would have just called down to the morgue to tell her anything.<p>

_Agent Scully,_

_ We need to talk._

_ Cabot_

Dana dropped the note back on the desk and dove into typing up her autopsy reports. When she finished at five am, she ventured out into the bullpen to make copies. Olivia stirred when she heard the machine whirling in the corner.

"Sorry didn't mean to wake you." Dana watched her rub her neck.

"Did you finish?"

"Yeah. It wasn't suicide, and it wasn't accidental. Bruising around the carotid is too deep. There was semen present in the vaginal cavity. Thank goodness for stupid perps."

"Yeah. Until someone who lives through the assault gets pregnant."

"I'm sorry Liv, I wasn't thinking."

"No need to apologize, I agree with you. DNA make's Cabot's job easier."

Dana nodded.

"Did you eat?"

"No." Dana looked at the left over Chinese scattered across Elliot's desk. "I'm going to get a shower."

Olivia looked at her watch. "You're working on ninety hours."

"I know. I'll hit the crib after I shower."

* * *

><p>Alex stopped by before heading to her office. "Where's Dana?"<p>

"She just went up to the crib." Olivia threw a hand up to Cragen who was returning from there.

"Good, I need to talk to her." She turned on her heel.

"If she's asleep let her be." Olivia warned. "She hasn't slept all week."

"Why?"

"Well reviewing the files for your case kick started it, and it's been a zoo here with three detectives and Warner out."

"Ok." Alex disappeared.

Fifteen minutes later Dana sunk down in Elliot's chair. "Is the coast clear?"

"Alex?"

"Yeah." She nodded.

"You saw her?"

"I saw her coming, and pretended to be asleep." Dana stretched, wishing she could sleep. But there was too much activity in the precinct despite the semi-quiet bullpen. Olivia looked passed Dana and tried to suppress her grin. "What?"

Before she could turn around she heard Alex's voice call out. "Agent Scully, I thought you were sleeping."

"Too much excitement around here to sleep." Her stomach rumbled.

"Have you eaten recently?" Alex jumped at the opportunity.

"No, and I'm really not hungry." Dana watched Olivia answer her phone.

"We need to talk." Alex stated.

"I need to do a lot of things Ms. Cabot, and talking isn't high on my list of priorities."

Olivia hung up. "That was the lab, they want to show you something."

Dana stood up and grabbed her keys. Olivia pulled them from between her fingers. "You'll be pulled over for suspected drunk driving."

"You can't avoid me forever Dana." Alex called after her.

"No but I sure as hell can try." Dana mumbled eliciting a giggle from Olivia.

* * *

><p>That night Dana's head found her own pillow. She would have enjoyed a restful sleep, but instead she was plagued with nightmares. In each one the cause of her fear was hidden just out of sight in the shadows.<p>

The weekend wasn't much better, neither was the following week. Cases were piling up, and they were making very little headway. They had plenty of evidence, and it wasn't until Friday afternoon when Olivia reached over for a new pen and knocked all the files on the floor that Dana finally found the biggest clue of all. Two of the DNA labs landed together in the clutter, and as she helped Olivia sort through the mess, she saw it. The labs had two different case numbers.

"Hey Liv, do you have the DNA results from the Hudson U rape?"

"It's actually right here in my hand." Olivia handed it to her tired partner sitting among the scattered papers.

"You should have done this last week." Dana looked at the mess.

"Should've done what?"

"Thrown your papers all over the floor." Dana jumped up. "I need all the DNA results from any open cases we have from the last two weeks."

Olivia met her at the white board a few minutes later, happy to see some energy returning with the excitement Dana was emitting. Considering the hellish almost two weeks they'd had, any energy and excitement was appreciated. Dana tacked the results up side by side as Cragen approached. "What have you got?"

"Take a look." She stood back admiring her work. "What do you see?"

"They all match." Alex appeared seemingly out of nowhere.

"Yes they all match." Dana spun around confused. "I'm seriously thinking about taking a TRO out on you counselor."

"This is my squad you know." Alex smiled.

"Doesn't give you the… Oh screw it." Dana turned back to the white board. "These results are the DNA reports on every case to come into the unit since Harold's body was found the Monday before last."

Huang stood there scratching his head. "Are you sure?"

"Positive."

"How many bodies?" Huang asked.

"Let's see I've averaged about an autopsy per day, so…"

"Eleven, so far last Friday and today, we don't have a body. There were two last Tuesday." Olivia shook her head. "Plus one live victim."

"We've got a sketch." Dana posted a copy on the whiteboard.

"Now go out and pick me up a suspect."

"Do you want to do my job Counselor?"

"No, you're doing a fine job Agent." The sarcasm Dana had expected to hear was missing.

Dana looked back at the board silently studying the sketch. "I know this face."

"Me too." Olivia put her hand on Dana's shoulder. "We've been staring at it for the past week."

"No, I've seen this guy." She turned to face Cragen. "I passed him this morning." Her voice grew in animation as she spoke. "He was working the magazine stand in Central when I went for a run."

"You and Olivia go pick him up. Alex see if you can get a warrant for his DNA." Cragen turned hearing his phone ring.

"You're going to have to get me a positive ID before I can get a warrant."

"We can't hold him all weekend Alex." Olivia interjected.

"Alex, see if you can get the judge to issue the warrant with the stipulation of a positive ID. I'll see if we can't get a uniform to go pick up Andrea and bring her in to pick him out of a line up." Dana grabbed her coat and keys. "We could also use a search warrant for his home."

"I'll get right on it." Alex nodded. Maybe they could get along after all?

* * *

><p>"Where's the warrant?" Dana asked when Alex joined them in for the line up. She waved the warrant. "All I need is a positive ID."<p>

Cragen pushed the talk button. "Bring in the line up."

"Take your time." Olivia put her hand on the girl's shoulder.

"It's number two."

"You're positive?" Alex asked.

She nodded with tears running down her cheeks. Olivia led her out of the room and into the break room

"Here's your search warrant." Alex handed the paper to Dana.

"What about the DNA?"

"It's all covered."

* * *

><p>Dana walked into interrogation room two where they had moved the suspect after the line up. "Do you know what this is Mr. Cradley?"<p>

He scratched at his two-day stubble, as she slammed the warrant down on the table. "I haven't a clue."

"It's a warrant for your DNA, we know you've been going around raping and killing men and women. You're sick!" Dana watched him shrug his shoulders. "It's also a warrant to search your home, and there's a team in your house as we speak tearing it to pieces. You want to save us the trouble and tell us where you put your souvenirs?"

He stared at her for a long moment and a predatory smile appeared on his lips. Dana's stomach tightened.

"What's going on?" Alex asked as she stood with Cragen and Huang on the other side of the two way.

"He's playing her. Trying to get a reaction." Huang threw out.

"No, I don't like this." Cragen looked up as Olivia opened the door.

"Cap, you need to take a look at this." Olivia held up a thick three ring binder.

"What is it?"

"It was recovered from Cradley's house. Where's Dana?"

"She's questioning him." Cragen looked back through the glass.

Olivia was already in interrogation two. "Agent Scully, I need you for a minute."

Dana looked up at Olivia. "Now?"

Olivia nodded, and Dana followed her into the observation area. Cragen was already flipping through the binder with Alex and George on either side. It was divided into victims, each section housing a wealth of candid photos of the victims. Showcasing approximately one week of stalking. At the end of each division there was a picture of Agent Scully on the scene with the dead victim. The last section in the binder wasn't completed. It showcased both Agent Scully and Detective Benson separately. The last page had a picture Agent Scully out running with a red target drawn over her and the following day's date on it. Directly below it was a picture of Benson walking up to her apartment building. The same date was written above her head, with RIP across her abdomen.

Dana walked out after seeing the pictures. George came out after her. "Agent Scully?"

She walked into her office and closed the door. A few minutes later there was a knock, and when she didn't answer the door opened a crack. Olivia stuck her head in. Dana had her glock and badge lying on the desk. "You ok?"

Dana nodded.

"He picked us up because we were working his case, that's all." Olivia pushed her body through the opening.

"It's not the case. It's not him."

"What then?" Olivia asked. "You're not thinking about quitting are you?"

Dana looked at the glock and badge laying in front of her and chuckled. "No Olivia, I'm stronger than that. I'm just tired. Haven't been sleeping even when I don't get called out all hours of the night."

"Cragen says Warner, Munch, and Fin are all returning to work tomorrow. Elliot will be back Monday at the latest. So he says he doesn't want to see our sorry faces back in here until Wednesday."

"We've got a case to wrap up."

"Let the boys handle it." Olivia smiled. "We've done all the hard work."

"Cradley just lawyered up." Alex pushed the door the rest of the way open. When she saw Dana's gear on the table she looked at her. "Are you ok Agent Scully?"

Dana stared at her, tempted to pick up her gun and aim it at the ADA. The safety was on, of course, and she couldn't count on one hand the number of times she and Mulder had pointed their weapons at one another. Instead she continued to glare at the blonde, who shifted uncomfortably under her scrutiny. Clearing her throat, Alex spoke again. "Olivia, can you excuse us?"

"Yeah." She stood up and looked at Dana. "I'm heading home, you should do the same." Dana nodded and she continued. "Call me when you get in."

Alex shut the door when Olivia exited. "We need to talk."

Dana pointed to the pile of notes from Alex, which had accumulated over the week. "Harassment, Ms. Cabot."

"No, if you'd give me the time of day I wouldn't have to keep leaving you notes, and messages on your voice mail. You can't ignore me, we have to work together."

"True, but I don't have to like it. And none of your messages mentioned a case."

"Actually, they involved a case." Alex pulled her dark framed glasses from her face, folding them in her hand. She smiled. "One that you helped me win."

"I didn't help you do anything, I did my job." Dana replied coolly.

"You went above and beyond the call of duty." Her smile faded, realizing Dana wasn't going to easily forgive her. "I understand you were up the entire night before the trial reviewing those reports."

"And don't for one minute fool yourself into thinking I did any of it for you." Dana stood up and grabbed her jacket. "If that's all I've got a bed calling my name."

She didn't give Alex enough time to respond before she was out the door. Alex sat there in the vacated office for several minutes, before letting out a deep sigh.

* * *

><p>At eight o'clock Alex grew restless. There was nothing more she could do on the Cradley case until Monday. Abbie wasn't answering her phone, so Alex decided she would call Olivia. It seemed like ages since they had gone out for a drink, and for some reason tonight she was really missing her friend. The phone rang four times before the answering machine picked up. "You've reached Olivia. You know the drill. Beep."<p>

Alex hung up and rummaged through her attaché case in search of a tiny scrap of paper she'd written Scully's address and number on. Without a conscious thought the phone was already pressed to her ear and ringing.

"Hello?" Dana answered the phone half expecting it to be Olivia.

"Dana?"

"Yes?" Was that Alex's voice? She was too tired to be a hundred percent sure.

"Is Olivia there?"

"No, she's not." Dana concluded it had to be Alex, the voice didn't hold the unique husky tone that Abbie's did. "How did you get my number?"

She honestly couldn't remember how she'd gotten Dana's number; only it wasn't through any proper channels. "I don't know. It's not important."

"It's is important. If I wanted you harassing me at home, I would have given you my number." Dana's temper flared.

"Then I guess it's not a good idea to ask you if you wanted to go out for a drink."

"Oh, I see. You call to see if Olivia's here, and since she isn't you just 'guess I'll have to do?'"

"I didn't say that." Alex's voice didn't hold the fighting quality it had in previous conversations between the two women. "I just thought we could go out, get a drink… talk."

"No, Alex. I told you at the office we have nothing to discuss. So, unless you called for some other reason…"

"No, that was all." Alex hung up the phone, and an hour later found herself sitting alone in a bar across town. She was damned if she was going to let the lack of a drinking buddy keep her cooped up at home when she felt like a total heel.


	8. Building Bridges

Where Walls Once Stood

8/8 Building Bridges

"Hello?" Olivia answered the phone while squinting at the red digital read out on her alarm clock, the numbers announcing the time as twelve-thirty.

"Did I wake you?" Dana asked.

"It's ok. What's wrong?" Olivia snapped to attention at the sound of her voice.

"Nothing." Dana silently cursed herself for waking Olivia.

"Something's wrong, or you wouldn't have called."

"I… I just can't sleep." She didn't even know what had prompted her to call. She knew she didn't want to tell Olivia about the nightmares. "I'm exhausted, but I can't sleep for more than ten to fifteen minutes."

As if reading her mind, Olivia responded. "I'll come over."

Five minutes later the doorbell rang. Clad in dark gray sweat pants and a navy

FBI t-shirt Dana opened the door. "That was qui-" She stopped short seeing Alex standing there in disarray.

She was wearing the same light gray dress suit she'd worn that day, with a red silk blouse under it. The suit coat hung haphazardly on her shoulders and she wreaked of alcohol. "Alex, you're drunk."

"Just a little." She giggled, holding her thumb and forefinger in the air unable to get them to meet.

Dana pulled her into the entry way and shut the door, before leading the staggering ADA to her couch. "Why'd you stop by?"

"To talk." Alex became overly serious, an effect of too much Gold Schlager running through her system. "You know you can be a real bitch."

"Look who's talking." Dana mumbled. Although she realized Alex was right. She wasn't normally one to hold a grudge, unless there was a really good reason. Alex's behavior while completely uncalled for and malicious was not entirely unforgivable. Of course she still had yet to apologize. And Dana wasn't about to accept an apology from a drunk Alex Cabot. "You shouldn't be here."

"I came by to set the record straight." Her speech was slurred and slow.

"It's the middle of the night." Dana stood up when she heard the doorbell ring.

"Come in!" Alex yelled forgetting it wasn't her home.

"Olivia." Dana forced a smile.

"Did I hear Alex?" Olivia stepped inside, pushing the door shut.

"Welcome to the party Liv!"

"She's drunk." Dana rolled her eyes as they walked into the living room.

"I am not drunk." She protested.

Olivia had never seen Alex drunk. "Why is she here?"

"Your guess is as good as mine." Dana shrugged.

"If you two don't want me here, I'll leave." Alex stood up only to fall back onto the couch.

"No Alex." Dana dropped into the armchair.

"I came by to apologize." She swung her arms wildly in the air. Her motor functions were completely out of her control.

"If you were sober Alex, I might be willing to accept it."

"I've never seen you this drunk Alex. What's wrong?" Olivia sat beside her on the couch. It wasn't so much Alex's being drunk that bothered her. She had never seen the ADA look so unkempt. "Problems with Abbie?"

"No." She whispered in Olivia's ear. "Tell her not to be mad at me."

"Who?" Olivia pulled away to see Alex looking at Dana, tears in her eyes.

"I think I like loud, happy drunk Alex better than a crying one." Dana pushed herself off the chair. "So much for sleeping tonight."

Alex mumbled something through heavy lidded eyes, before slumping over onto Olivia's shoulder. She had slipped into a drunken sleep. Olivia carefully pushed her over onto the couch, stretching her long slim legs down the length of it.

"She'll be out for a while." Olivia observed. "Let's see if we can't get you to do the same."

Dana realized this was the first time Olivia had been over. "I should give you the grand tour."

Olivia looked around realizing she hadn't even paid attention to anything except the tired red head and drunk blonde since she came in. The apartment was cozy, with light hardwood floors. The walls were a crème color, with white woodwork. Dana's furniture looked like it had been hand picked for this exact setting, but Olivia knew it was furniture she'd had for years. "Grand tour later. You need sleep now."

Dana nodded and led her to the bedroom. The walls were painted in a light olive green, and the woodwork was the same crème as the walls in the living room. Olivia watched as she climbed into the sleigh bed. She patted the empty side of the bed, and Olivia got in, jeans and all.

An hour later Dana seemed to be sleeping soundly, and Olivia snuck out to the living room. She called Abbie, apologized for waking her and asked her to come get Alex. She knew the last thing Alex and Dana's estranged relationship needed, was for Alex to still be there when Dana woke up. When the doorbell rang twenty minutes later she didn't bother to check the peephole, and was totally shocked to see a tall lanky man standing there. "Agent Mulder?"

"Great the dyke." He mumbled under his breath.

"Excuse me?"

"Where's Dana?" He pushed his way into the apartment, as if he had every right to be there in the middle of the night.

"She's sleeping, and I'll not have you wake her."

Spotting Alex asleep on the couch, he grinned. "Damn, I must have just missed the orgy."

"This isn't one of your porno flicks. We don't live in your sick fantasy world." Olivia turned back toward the door when she a soft knock. "Come on in Abbie."

Abbie stepped through the door Olivia was holding open for her, as Mulder turned to see her. "Actually it looks like I'm just in time. Ms. Carmichael I didn't know you were into dykes."

"Well if it isn't Agent Mulder. Been probed lately? Oh that's right, you can't even get an alien to have sex with you." Abbie retorted as she walked over to Alex on the couch. "Alex, wake up sweetie. We need to get you out of here before the shit starts to fly."

Olivia watched as Abbie helped the still half asleep and more than drunk Alex to her feet. "Do you need help?"

"No, I'm illegally parked right out front." Abbie did little to steady the staggering gait of the beautiful blonde. "Good luck. You're going to need it with this asshole."

Olivia closed the door and found Mulder sitting on the couch, as if he belonged there. She scoffed lightly as she took a seat in the armchair. "Why did you come by Agent Mulder?"

"To talk to Scully, but since you're here," He leaned forward resting his elbows on his thighs. "You know you're just some fling, don't you? Scully doesn't love you."

"I think that's up to her to decide don't you?" Olivia refused to turn this into a battle.

"You don't get it, do you detective?" Mulder saw the doubt flash in her eyes, and like a hungry lion, he pounced on it. "She is going through a midlife crisis, albeit a very early one. You're an experiment, a curiosity. Nothing more. Scully could never truly love another woman. She just wants to see what the sex is like, and when she gets bored she's going to come back to me."

Olivia refused to cry in front of him, but he had definitely hit on a nerve. She stood up quietly and found her keys. Without a word she left. Mulder sat on the couch feeling only a little guilty for stooping so low, a self-satisfied grin on his face.

Dana awoke with a start and realized the bed was empty. She'd been asleep about an hour and a half, a new record for the books of the last two weeks. She wandered into the living room. "Mulder?"

"Scully." He smiled.

"Where's Olivia?"

"She just left." He glanced toward the entryway. "Nice digs."

"Thanks." She glanced around, Olivia's scent still lingered. "How'd you find me?"

"You're mom. I told her you wouldn't return my calls and I was worried. She hadn't heard from you in two weeks so she asked me to come check on you."

"I've been working for the last twelve days straight, without much sleep. I haven't had time for pleasantries."

"But you've had time to screw around with Detective Benson." Mulder smirked.

"Not that's it's any of your business," Her voice stayed calm. "But Olivia and I have not been intimate."

"Second thoughts?" He was a little too hopeful.

"No Mulder. I've been through a lot." She took a deep breath, and through clenched teeth said, "But you wouldn't know about that."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

She sat down in the armchair, curling her legs under her. "I thought we were friends Mulder."

"We are."

"Than why did you leave New York with out so much as a good bye? The last time I tried call you, you didn't even want to talk to me."

"I was in the middle of a case." He shrugged.

"And I had just been…" Her voice trailed off.

"You had just been what?" He leaned forward.

"Nothing Mulder, it's not important." She shook her head.

"Yes it is." He begged.

"I was assaulted." She looked away.

"Raped?" He sat up straight.

"Forced oral cop."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

Her head snapped back in his direction. "Because you didn't give me a chance! You were too busy blowing me off."

"Is this why you think you're a dyke?"

"I had feelings for Olivia long before this happened."

"How can you have feelings for her? You don't even know her."

"I can guarantee I know more about her than you know about me and we've know each other for seven years."

"I doubt that."

"I don't. And I'm sure she knows more about me than you do."

"No way." Mulder jeered.

"Mulder what's my favorite color?"

"Black."

"It's blue. Favorite band?"

"Bare Naked Ladies."

"That's yours. I prefer Dashboard Confessional."

"Favorite movie?"

"Star Wars."

"No. See Mulder, Olivia knows all these things about me."

"Yeah, but does she know about the cancer? Did she hold you when you cried after you lost Emily? Did she lose sleep when you were abducted?"

"She knows about the cancer. She knows I miss the daughter I didn't even know I had, and only knew for a short time. When I can't sleep at night, she's the one to come over and hold the demons at bay." Well, at least she would have if Alex and Mulder hadn't shown up. "And she saved my life Mulder. She's the one I love."

"I saved your life." Mulder didn't hide his defeat.

"More times than I care to remember Mulder. And I love you, but I am in love with her?"

"What does she have that I don't? Besides a vagina?"

Scully laughed lightly, before softly replying. "She's got my heart, and I've got hers."

"I had your heart." Mulder looked down at his empty hands.

"You were always too busy running after the next big case to ever really have anything Mulder." She could see him mentally kicking himself. "It's not your fault Mulder. I will always care about you."

She got up and sat beside him on the couch, carefully wrapping her arms around him. "Is there anything I can do to get you to change your mind?"

"No Mulder."

He pulled away. "Well then, I need to get on the next flight to DC. I have an alien to track down."

Scully nodded silently.

"Don't worry Scully, I'll always love you too." He gave her a reassuring smile before disappearing out the door.

It was still dark and clouds hid the moon when she slipped out into the cover of night. The frigid air stole her breath and made her chest hurt, but she didn't care. She couldn't sleep, and Olivia wasn't answering her phone. She didn't know what Mulder told her, but she knew he was to blame for her hasty retreat.

Dana Scully watched her breath turn to fog before dissipating in front of her. She stretched out briefly before jogging down the deserted street.

Olivia lay in bed listening to the phone ring. The answering machine picked up and she heard Dana pleading with her to pick up. She couldn't. Maybe Fox Mulder was right, and then what would happen?

Mest's "Is This The End" played quietly from a small CD player on her nightstand.

_ Don't let people's opinions change you_ _ You must be strong_ _ Cuz if your environment gets you_ _ Your sanity won't last that long_ _ Is this the end?_

Olivia knew exactly what would happen. She would be left broken-hearted. Not that her heart wasn't already laying on the floor in pieces, but it would be worse if she let Dana get any closer. No, she wouldn't answer the phone.

_Is this the end?_

The doorbell rang at eight o'clock. Alex cursed, while grabbing her head, whoever invented alcohol, should be shot. Abbie reached over with sleep still tugging at her brain and picked up the phone. "Hello?"

The dial tone sounded in her ear, as the doorbell sounded again. She slid out of bed, leaving Alex groaning. Wrapping her robe around her she opened the door. "Dana?"

Dana stood there with her hands behind her back, and two uniformed officers flanking her. Her head hung in embarrassment. The officer on her right spoke. "Ms. Carmichael, the ADA."

"Yes. I'm Abbie Carmichael." She pulled her ID from a nearby table and held it up.

"We found her asleep on a bench in Central Park, she was carrying this." He held up Dana's federal service weapon. "She didn't have any ID, and claims she's FBI. She told us you could vouch for her."

"I can." Abbie shook her head. "She's who she says she is."

"Sorry for any inconvenience, Ms. Scully." Officer Andrews bent down behind her and unlocked the cuffs.

The other officer looked to Abbie. "We thought she was drunk but the Breathalyzer was negative. You might want to keep her here until she sleeps off what ever it is she took."

"Just what are you insinuating?" Dana demanded, snatching her weapon from Officer Andrews.

Before the second officer could respond, Abbie stepped up in her defense. "Agent Scully just finished pulling twelve days straight down at SVU, and hasn't had an adequate amount of sleep in the past two weeks. She'll be fine, and I personally would appreciate your discretion in this matter."

"Certainly, Ms. Carmichael." Both officers answered as Abbie ushered Dana into her apartment.

"Thank you." She shut the door and turned back to look at Dana. "You look worse than Alex did last night. I can see why they thought you were some drunk vagrant."

"I'm too tired to be offended." Dana closed her eyes as her body wavered, ready to collapse from exhaustion.

"Come on." Abbie escorted her down the hall to her bedroom. "Alex?"  
>"I really need to go home." Dana argued wearily.<p>

"No, you need sleep." Abbie shook Alex firmly. "Alex?"

"I don't wanna go to school." She pulled a pillow over her head.

"Alexandra, wake up." Abbie jerked the pillow away from her. "You deserve whatever you're feeling this morning. How much did you drink?"

Dana thought it would be funny if her own head didn't hurt so much. She turned to walk out, as Abbie told Alex to move to the couch.

"Where do you think you're going?" Abbie grasped her shoulder.

"Home." Dana rubbed at her right temple, as Alex stumbled past them.

"Those officers from the one-two left you in my care. So until you've had a decent nap, you're not going anywhere." Abbie pointed to the bed and with her best, 'I am mother hear me roar' voice stated. "Now get in that bed."

Dana shed her coat when Abbie finally let go of her shoulder, and complied.

At ten o'clock Dana slipped her coat and shoes on. After grabbing her glock from the night table she entered the living room, prepared to use force if needed. Both Abbie and Alex were lying awkwardly on the couch asleep. She tiptoed by and snuck quietly out the door. As the click resounded in the hall, Dana realized she'd left her keys on the nightstand. The door was securely locked, only one thing to do.

An hour earlier when Dana had pounded on the door, she refused to answer. Olivia wasn't ready to talk about it. She didn't know if she would be. Olivia's stomach grumbled, and she figured it had been long enough that the coast was clear. Checking the peephole just to be sure, she opened the door and bounded out almost tripping over the body curled up in front of her. "Damn it."

Dana didn't move, which was a good thing. All Olivia had to do was step over her and go about her business. She wanted to do just that. She wanted to forget Dana Scully even existed, didn't she? "Dana?"

Olivia watched her for several minutes to determine if she was still breathing. When she decided she wasn't dead, Olivia shook her gently. "Dana? Wake up."

The shaking elicited an ineffective grunt and anemic wave of her hand.

"Great." Olivia mumbled, bending over to pick the smaller woman up. She cradled her virtually limp body, and carried her into the bedroom. Struggling for several minutes before she successfully removed Dana's coat. After tugging her running shoes off she pulled the covers up, tucking her in. Why did she have to care so much?

As she walked into the living room her ringing phone interrupted thoughts. "Hello?"

"Liv, it's Abbie. Is Dana with you?"

"Yeah, I just put her to bed. Why?"

"She left her keys over here. I didn't think she could get back in her apartment without them."

"What was she doing over there?"

"She was picked up in central park, uniforms from the one-two thought she was a vagrant. Found a concealed weapon, no ID. She said I could vouch for her. She was so tired they thought she was drunk, so I made Alex move to the couch and put her to bed. When I went in a few minutes ago she was gone, figured I'd check with you before calling the different precincts." Abbie chuckled lightly.

"What was she doing in Central Park?" Olivia slumped into the couch.

"Sleeping on a bench, beyond that you'd have to ask her."

"I'd ask, but things are strange and she's out like a light."

"Strange, in what way?"

"I don't know Abbie. I think I fell too fast. Didn't use my head."

"You can't be serious?"

"Abbie, she's a good little catholic girl who is confused."

"No, not according to Alex she isn't. And from what I've seen, she really likes you Liv."

"Yeah, and when she realizes it's nothing more I'm the one left alone."

"You know what I meant Liv. She loves you. I've seen the way she interacts with you. It's not just some lusty fling." Abbie paused in thought for a minute. "Does this have anything to do with Fox Mulder's visit last night?"

"Abbie, I really don't want to talk about it." Olivia sighed.

"Fine. You don't have to talk to me Liv, but you need to talk to her. If you don't you may quite possibly ruin the best thing that could happen in your life. Don't let a jerk like Fox Mulder help you make that mistake. I've got to go check on Alex."

"How is Alex doing today?"

"She's got one hell of a hangover. Nothing another round of Tylenol and several more hours of sleep won't cure. If you need to talk, give me a call."

"Thanks Abbie." Olivia hung up the phone and decided to take advantage of the quiet, and catch up on her own lost sleep

* * *

><p>Sunday morning Dana woke up to music filtering into the bedroom. She quickly realized she was in Olivia's bedroom, and for the life of her she couldn't remember how she got there. Her bladder was screaming for relief and she stumbled into the bathroom.<p>

_One of us won't last the night_

_There's two of us, both can't be right._

_Neither will move till it's over._

"Guster?" Dana stood in just inside the living room. Olivia jumped at the sound of her voice. "I didn't mean to scare you."

Olivia nodded. "'Center of Attention', you've heard of Guster?"

"I have a few of their albums." She walked over to the couch where Olivia sat. "Do you mind?"

"No." Olivia shrugged.

Dana situated herself on the couch, pulling her legs up so she was sitting Indian style. She shifted so she could face Olivia while they talked. "How come you didn't stay last night?"

"Actually, it was Friday night." Olivia corrected. "In case you didn't notice, you've been asleep for the last twenty-two hours. I was getting ready to call Warner to make sure you were still alive."

Dana smiled at Olivia's joke. "Twenty-two hours huh? How'd I get here?"

"You don't remember?"

"Last thing I coherently remember is leaving my apartment for a jog right after Mulder left. Sometime around four in the morning."

"So you don't remember getting picked up by two uniforms in Central Park, sleeping at Abbie's place for an hour or so before sneaking out undetected to come here and fall asleep on my door mat." Olivia left out pounding on her door.

"I did not?" Dana shook her head in disbelief.

"You did. I found you barely responsive in front of my door. I can see why they thought you were drunk."

"Maybe it's better I don't remember." Dana blushed.

"Well, for future reference don't go any where without your ID."

"I never leave without it." Of course she had to admit to herself she was upset and a little more than distracted when she'd left her apartment. "Are you avoiding my question?"

"Actually I am." Olivia answered honestly. "I'm not sure I know how to answer that question."

"Well Olivia, I don't know what Mulder said to make you leave, but we need to talk about it." Dana ran her hand through her hair.

"We've got three days till we have to be back at work, we can talk about it later."

Dana reached over and took the stereo remote out of Olivia's hand. She pointed it at the sensor and pressed the off button. "Unless you have pressing plans, I think we need to talk about it now."

"Ok, fine." Olivia mirrored Dana's position on the couch. "Mulder said some things that got me thinking about the reality of you and me."

"And what reality is that?"

"It'll never work Dana. I'm not going to lie to you, there is no way things will work out between us."

"Why?"

"Because they won't. We are too different."

"Opposites attract."  
>"Exactly," Olivia smiled slightly at the opening. "So you should be with some guy, not another woman."<p>

"People who are complete opposites also have a higher divorce rate." Dana pointed out. "We are different enough to make it work, and we are similar enough to make it last."

"Why do you think you want this?"

"I don't think I want this. I know I do." Dana's forehead had that cute little wrinkle in it again. "What exactly did Mulder say to you?"

"It's not important."

"Let me guess he told you that I could never truly be in love with you. You're just a fling, and I'll always love him."

"Not in so many words."

"And you believed him?"

"Truth hurts Dana."

"It isn't true. Yes, I'll always love Mulder. He's like another brother. I'm not in love with Mulder."

"Why do you want to be with me?" Olivia pulled her knees up to her chest.

"Because I want to ravish your body." Dana smiled, but realized it wasn't exactly the time for jokes. "Olivia, I could care less if we ever had sex. Ok, maybe I'd care a little bit. I want to be with you because I love you."

"You can't love me." Olivia hugged her knees tighter.

"Why is it so hard for you to believe that someone could love you?"

"Look at me." Tears filled Olivia's eyes, and she cursed herself for letting Dana inside her protective barriers. "I'm a product of one of the most horrible acts a person could commit."

"So that automatically makes you unlovable?"

"Do you know how many times I saw the look of disgust in my mother's eyes? My own mother. She never said she didn't love me, and I think she thought she did love me. But every time she looked at me, she was reminded of that horrible night." Olivia wiped at her eyes. "I'm sure she wondered if I would be just like him. Heck, I still wonder it. What if I am like him?"

"You're not like him. Olivia, you could never be like that. It's not who you are."

"Who am I then?"

"Well, let me tell you what I see, and why I love you. You are a very beautiful woman. Everything about you screams confidence, you know how to carry yourself professionally. You've got a heart the size of the galaxy. You've got to be one of the most compassionate, caring people I have ever met. You're funny, and you roll with the punches. And that's just for starters. Olivia you are so much more than you give yourself credit for." Dana's arms reached out to span the distance between them. Pulling her into a big hug. "So, do you think you can love me?"

Olivia nodded, enveloping the smaller woman in her embrace. "I never stopped loving you."

She held Olivia for several minutes, before Olivia extracted herself. "Fin called yesterday afternoon while you were still sleeping. He just wanted to let us know Cradley was still in custody."

"Yeah, well since he lawyered up, he's Alex's problem now." Dana's body immediately stiffened.

"Fin just wanted us to know, after what happened with Farley."

"Oh, since Cradley had us marked as targets he thought we'd be worried he'd escape too?"

"He just didn't want us to worry, that's all."

Dana propelled herself off the couch. "That's just great."

"What?" Olivia looked up, her brown eyes confused at Dana's sudden agitation.

"New kid on the squad can't watch her own ass. Everybody has to watch Agent Scully's ass or she might let the perp attack her again."

"Nobody thinks that Dana. We are a team, a family. The squad watches out for each other."

"I can take care of myself." Dana stormed off toward the bedroom. A few minutes later Olivia heard her slightly raised voice exclaim; "Shit!"

Olivia found her way down the hall and saw Dana sitting on the bed. One arm lay limply across her lap, her hand gripping her coat. The other elbow rested on her thigh and she cradled her head in her hand. "You ok?"

Dana nodded without changing position. "My keys?"

"You left them at Abbie's." Olivia could see the tension double in Dana's back. "What is it?"

"Alex." She sighed.

"You've got to face her sooner or later."

"I vote later." Dana mumbled.

"I'll drive you home. We'll swing by Abbie's on the way and I'll run up and get your keys."

"I live down the street. Abbie lives across town."

"So we'll take the scenic route." Olivia smiled and pulled Dana to her feet.

* * *

><p>Dana closed the door behind her, dropping several bags of groceries on the way to the kitchen. Earlier in the day Olivia dropped her off and went home to get a shower, and catch up on things she hadn't been able to do for the past two weeks. Mainly pay bills, and balance her checkbook. They'd made plans for Olivia to come back at six for a quiet home cooked meal.<p>

Dana put a medium roast into a pan, before adding carrots, onions, celery and potatoes to the mix. Smothering the top of the beef with a can of golden mushroom soup, she covered it and put it in the oven to cook. She put the frozen rolls in a muffin pan to rise, and went to take a long relaxing bath.

At five o'clock she put the rolls in. When the doorbell rang five minutes later, she hoped it was Olivia. Woman's intuition told her otherwise, and she stood on her tiptoes to peer through the peephole. "Alex." She sighed, her hand hesitating on the doorknob.

Alex watched the doorknob slowly turn and Agent Scully giving her the once over. She was clad in an old pair of jeans and one of Abbie's old college sweatshirts. "Can I come in?"

"I'm expecting company." Dana returned.

"I'll only take a minute." Alex promised.

"Fine." Dana stepped to the side, allowing Alex entrance.

"Nice place." Alex looked around.

"It's nothing like yours." Dana moved to the living room and offered Alex a seat.

"I wanted to apologize for last night." Alex sat down.

Dana nodded silently.

"I shouldn't have stopped by so late, or when I had been drinking."

"Why did you stop by Counselor?" There was an icy quality to her voice.

The title didn't send the normal shock waves through Alex; instead she had to suppress the urge to flee. "I came by to apologize for the way I acted your second official day with SVU."

"I need to go check the rolls." Dana retreated to the kitchen.

Alex stood unobserved in the doorway. She watched Dana pull the rolls and roast from the oven. As she started to turn Alex spoke. "Look Dana, I don't expect you to just accept my apology and go on like I did nothing. I do expect you to at least hear me out."

Dana closed her eyes. "Would you just leave Alex? Please?"

* * *

><p>After eating and cleaning up dishes, Dana and Olivia retired to the living room. Olivia sat on the couch beside Dana, and rubbed her belly. "I am stuffed. Dinner was wonderful."<p>

"Thanks." Dana blushed modestly.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing." Dana shook her head to reinforce her statement.

"You hardly said two words over dinner. Something is bothering you." Olivia slid an arm around her shoulders. "You're so tense."

Dana rested her head in her hands as Olivia began rubbing her back. As good as it felt; it wasn't helping her loosen up at all. After several minutes Olivia noticed she wasn't getting any results. She pulled back. "Is it me?"

Dana laughed dryly. "No. Alex stopped by just before you came over."

"And?"

Dana shook her head silently.

"She had to stop by for a reason." Olivia gently prodded.

"She did." Dana sighed. "She wanted to apologize."

"And?"

"And I let her. Just before I kicked her out."

"Dana!"

"I know, and I feel really bad."

"Well, so does Alex. I've never seen her as out of sorts as she was the other night."

"She was drunk."

"Because you won't give her the time of day to apologize."

"Would you forgive her?" Dana asked, still not looking up.

"She said the wrong thing in the heat of the moment."

"There wasn't any heat when she said I'd have to do."

"Have you asked her why she said it?"

"No."

Olivia reached for the phone. "I'm not going to have my girlfriend and my best friend fighting, if there is any was around it. In the very least you two have to work together." She listened to the phone ring. "Hey Alex, it's Liv … I'm at Dana's, could you come over? … Thanks."

"What are you doing?" Dana looked up at Olivia.

"Do you have a spare bedroom?"

"It's my office." Dana nodded.

"Good." Olivia smiled, as she got up. "I'm going to give myself the grand tour."

Thirty minutes later Alex knocked on the door, and Olivia let her in. "Follow me."

Alex followed Olivia through the living room, past a quiet Dana, and down the hallway to the spare room. Olivia had taken two chairs from the living room and put them in the office facing each other. She instructed Alex to have a seat. Then she retreated back to the living room. She took Dana by the hand and led her to office. Dana stopped in the doorway. "I'm going to ask again. What are you doing?"

"Something I should have done two weeks ago." Olivia gave her a nudge into the room. "I don't care how long it takes; you two are staying in here until you reach a truce or you kill each other."

"Olivia, this is my apartment."

"Yes it is." Olivia looked at Alex. "Just don't kiss her."

"That won't be a problem." Alex answered before Olivia pulled the door shut.

"You can't do this!" Dana jiggled the doorknob. Olivia had reversed it, so she could lock the two women in together. "Damn it Olivia."

"I don't think she's going to listen to you Dana." Alex offered.

"You told her you kissed me?" Dana turned toward her.

"Yeah, Olivia and I don't have many secrets. I wasn't going to let it come out later and cause problems between us." Alex paused for a moment. "You didn't tell her?"

Dana leaned against the door, and slid down to the floor. After a minute she responded. "It wasn't important. It happened before we told each other how we felt, and it meant nothing to me."

Alex took a deep breath. "It meant nothing?"

Dana nodded. "I thought you…"

"No, you're right. It meant nothing."

Dana could feel the tension crackling around them. "Then what's the problem?"

"There isn't a problem."

"Damn it, Alex." Dana slammed her fist against the wall, causing the blonde to jump in her seat. "You treat me like shit, and now you tell me there isn't a problem. Either there is a problem, or you really are the cold-hearted bitch you portray in the courtroom. And if that's the case, I think I need to brush up on my profiling skills."

"Look," Alex wiggled uncomfortably in her chair. "What happened in that restaurant has nothing to do with what is going on now."

"Doesn't it?"

"No." Alex didn't hesitate, but then she didn't elaborate either. At least fifteen minutes of uncomfortable silence passed between them before Alex finally spoke. "Look Dana, I'm sorry. I don't know what else to say, or what to do to make up for what I said to you. I didn't mean it."

"If you didn't mean it, you wouldn't have said it Alex."

"I was upset."

"Why because your star expert was out with the flu? Or because you're jealous of my relationship with Olivia?"

Alex decided to ignore the last question. "I'm not going to make excuses. I didn't mean to make you feel incompetent. You weren't the original ME on the case, and so effectively you had to do as a stand in. I didn't mean you weren't capable."

"You're tone indicated otherwise."

"I'm aware of this." Alex glanced around the office. Everything was neatly arranged. It reminded her of her own office at work. She knew she couldn't avoid the subject any longer. "Maybe it had something to do with a misguided attraction, or..."

When Alex didn't continue her thought, Dana did it for her. "Or you're jealous."

"Yes, Dana." Alex raised her voice for the first time that evening. "Is that what you want to hear? I'm jealous?"

"I want to hear the truth Alex. Something you seem so adept at pulling out of others, but hiding from yourself."

"I'm not jealous, at least not of what you and Olivia have. I love Abbie." Alex swallowed the lump in her throat. "I want Olivia to be happy, and you make her happy. The only regret I have is I sometimes feel I've lost my best friend."

"Olivia is still your friend." Dana bit her bottom lip. "I could have been your friend if you hadn't been such bitch. You insulted me Alex, on a professional level."

"I never once doubted your ability as a professional. And if I had, you proved me wrong by not allowing this grudge affect the prosecution of a serial rapist."

"I do my job Alex."

"No, from everything I've seen and heard you go far and beyond." She saw the confused look on Dana's face. "Captain Cragen can't stop singing your praises. Even if you went behind his back and typed up your own autopsy reports when he gave you direct orders to sleep."

"The job comes first." Dana inwardly cringed at the revelation that Cragen knew she had typed up her own reports. She made a silent mental note to be more careful when defying orders.

"George says you have an anti-hero complex."

"I give credit were credit is due."

"Elliot's glad Olivia's got a fellow female in the unit, and says you're the bomb when it comes to autopsies."

"He just wants to sound cool using his kids' lingo."

"Fin thinks you're the female terminator." Alex was ignoring Dana's modest statements. "Munch says you are some type of super soldier, and God's gift to man."

"Yeah and you thought I was his gift to women." Dana laughed lightly.

"I wouldn't go that far, agent." Alex's sapphire eyes smiled. "I'm in love with Abbie, and Detective Benson is head over heals for you. So I'm not sure if I trust her judgment of your professional skills. But you must be pretty damn special for her to trust you with her heart."

"And what do you think Counselor?"

"I think they are all right about you. I wish you would give me another shot at building a rapport with you. Be it professional, friendly or both."

Dana sat there silently for several minutes. Finally she pulled her knees up to her chest and rested her chin between them. Alex couldn't help but think she looked like she needed protecting when she was in that position, something she'd never thought she'd think about Dana. "What more can I say?"

Dana glanced up, hearing for the first time the raw emotion in Alex's voice. "Nothing."

Alex watched as Dana gracefully pushed herself to her feet and walked towards her. She stopped just in front of her, clearing her throat to get Alex to look up. When she did, Alex was rewarded with a smile. "I forgive you. Just don't let it happen again."

"Friends?"

"I'd like that, but it may take a while. We've got your jealously issues to work through." A small smile pulled at Dana's lips.

Alex nodded as a look of relief flooded her face. A flash of fear flickered in her eyes. "You're not just doing this to get out of here are you?"

"No." Dana lifted the back of her shirt revealing her holstered weapon. "If I'd wanted to get out that bad, I would have just shot you."

Alex relaxed when Dana laughed. "You really need to lighten up Counselor. Now, let's get Olivia back."

Alex nodded and listened to the game plan.

* * *

><p>"Olivia, if you don't open this door now I'm going to blow Cabot's brains all over the wall!" Dana yelled through the door.<p>

"It's not going to work." Olivia called back.

"Liv, she's serious." Alex's voice quivered.

Olivia pulled her own weapon out and slowly opened the door to find the two women sitting on the floor laughing so hard they were crying. "You guys suck."

"You ever lock me a room with anyone again, I'll blow your brains out." Dana warned, but couldn't wipe the grin off her face. "Um, do you mind pointing that thing somewhere else?"

Olivia smiled as she re-holstered her gun. "Did it work?"

"Yeah." Alex nodded. "We were talking about getting drinks together sometime. But I'd better get home before Abbie thinks she did kill me."

Before getting to her feet Alex leaned in and whispered something in Dana's ear. She blushed as Alex stood up and thanked Olivia.

* * *

><p>After Alex left, Dana pulled Olivia into the bedroom. "I think we have some unfinished business detective."<p>

Olivia mirrored the sly grin Dana was giving her. "I think you're right. Where did we leave off?"

"Here…" Dana covered her mouth with hers, pulling her into a passionate kiss. She let her tongue slide between Olivia's slightly open lips, carefully sucking her tongue into her own mouth. After a few minutes she backed away. "I seem to remember you being a better kisser than that?"

Olivia stood there with a slightly shocked look still plaguing her face. Olivia shook her head for a second and reached to her side. "I think we need to get rid of these."

Olivia held her holstered weapon up, laid it on the dresser. As Dana reached behind her back, Olivia's arms snaked around her waist. "Let me."

Dana moved her hands out of the way, as Olivia made short work of removing the glock and placing it beside hers. Her hands again found Dana's waist, and she gently pulled her t-shirt free of her Levis pulling it over Dana's head and tossing it aside. She admired the black lace bra. "My favorite color."

"I thought your favorite color was purple?" Dana teased, reaching for Olivia's shirt only to have her hands pushed away.

"Patience Dana." She smiled and unzipped Dana's Levis. All the while she was talking in the smooth ivory skin lying over perfectly toned muscles. She slowly slid the jeans to the floor, relishing the feel of her hands against Dana's legs. When she stood back up, Olivia pushed Dana back onto the bed. "If I start to go to fast, let me know."

Dana nodded. "You're doing just fine Liv."

"Good." Olivia smirked as she pulled her shirt over her head. Dana licked her lips, sending a shiver down Olivia's spine. She ignored the burning in her lower abdomen as she slid her own jeans off, adding them to the pile of discarded clothes. Dana loved her olive skin tones, her perfect body.

"I think purple just became my new favorite color." Dana reached for Olivia's hand and pulled her onto the bed. Lying back as she went, Olivia ended up on top of her. Dana lifted her thigh until it made contact with the warm satiny material between Olivia's legs.

Olivia lurched forward and forced her tongue into Dana's mouth. Tasting every inch over and over again. Dana's thigh pressed into her a little harder, and she could feel the wetness seeping through. As she slid her hands around Olivia's back and unfastened her bra, she felt her own juices begin to increase. She massaged Olivia's breasts in her palms.

Ecstasy ensued, at least for Olivia, every time she would start to touch Dana, Dana would find some way to thwart her efforts. While still feeling the effects, of the tenderest lovemaking she'd ever experienced, Olivia pulled Dana down beside her. Dana rested her head on Olivia's chest listening to her heart thundering away. Olivia's breathing slowly returned to a normal rhythm.

"I think you lied to me." Olivia smiled when Dana cocked her head to the side in confusion. "You said you've never been with another woman."

"I haven't." Dana curled up beside her.

"Well, you sure could have fooled me." Olivia kissed her lips lightly. "I can't take all the credit."

"What do you mean?" Olivia's hands slid under Dana's arms, as she deftly unfastened her bra.

Dana threw her head back. "Alex's make up gift."

Olivia pulled away. "Alex's make up gift?"

Dana nodded. "As a peace offering, before she left she told me to hum."

"She told you to hum Mr. Sandman down there?" Olivia laughed.

"No." Dana grinned. "All she said was hum. I did the rest."

"Remind me to thank her later." Olivia's hands traveled down Dana's sides until her fingers brushed across the scars left by Farley. A sharp intake of breath drew Olivia's attention. It wasn't a gasp of intense pleasure, like the ones that had recently escaped her lips. She instinctively pulled back at the sound. Her eyes searched Dana's face. "We don't have to do this."

"I'm fine."

Olivia heard the words, but she also saw the flash of fear, as storm clouds seemed to darken Dana's once clear blue pools. "No, you're not."

"I am." Dana insisted as Olivia moved completely out of her space.

"I can't do this?"

"You don't want me?" Dana's voice cracked.

"I want you more than you could possibly know." Olivia pulled on her shirt, while sweeping the floor for her discarded bra. "But I won't do this. Not now. Not like this."

"Don't leave." Dana's voice was timid.

"I need…" Olivia thought for a minute, as she pulled on her jeans wondering what could have happened to her underwear. "I'll be in the living room."

A few minutes later Dana walked into the darkened living room. A robe wrapped tightly around her. There was a blue glow from the muted TV. "I see you found the entertainment center."

"I found the remote first." Olivia commented quietly. The TV was hidden in an antique armoire. "Why did you…"

After several minutes of waiting for Olivia to finish the question, Dana finally decided to answer anyway. "Because I thought… because I wanted to, and I thought you wanted to too."

"I am perfectly content just being with you. You don't have to push your limits with me or try to prove anything to me."

"I wasn't trying to prove anything."

"Don't lie to me." Olivia said quietly, looking at images of some long forgotten love story dance across the screen. It was rather ironic when she thought about it.

"I'm not lying to you." Dana picked up the remote and turned off the TV. She didn't want the distraction.

"You said you were fine, and you're not fine Dana."

"I was fine with finishing what I started." She answered.

"I saw your eyes. You can't lie to me. If you can't be honest with your feelings, I… I don't know what will happen to our relationship."

"My feelings?" Dana scoffed. "I've never been so open with my feelings. Besides, who's the one who didn't want to talk about her feelings? You were just going to let Fox Mulder dictate how our relationship should be. I can't keep scaling these walls."

"Maybe this relationship isn't meant to be after all." Olivia stood up.

"Oh, so now I'm your one night stand. Is that all I am to you?"

"This just isn't working out." Olivia was heading for the entryway.

"And if you walk out that door, it will never work out."

Olivia stood with her hand on the knob for several minutes. She wanted to run and never look back, at least her pride did. Her heart was another story. She wanted to love Dana without question. She needed her.

"Why did you stop?"

Olivia wasn't sure how long she had been standing at the door, unmoving. And she knew Dana wasn't asking why she was still there. "Because, I heard you gasp. I saw the fear in your eyes."

"The scars a still tender, that's all."

Olivia felt thin arms slide under her own, and wrap around to the front of her waist. Dana embraced her from behind, resting her head on Olivia's shoulder blade. "I'm not afraid of you Liv."

"I should have been there. This shouldn't have happened to you."

"I don't believe we are having this conversation. Not here. Not now." Dana pulled away, but instead of just walking away she took Olivia's hand and led her into the living room. "We are going to end this right here, and right now."

Olivia sat down on the couch beside Dana, who never let go of her hand. "You are not responsible for this. I told you this before, and you have to know that. Chad Farley was a sick, sick man. If anything, you saved me. He would have killed me if you hadn't fired."

"If I had been there, none of this would have happened."

"You're right, Olivia." Dana paused. "None of this would have happened. Who knows, we both might be dead. But we're not. We are both here, and we have each other. The only person I blame is Chad Farley. It's his doing and his alone. We can't control what other people do."

"But you were afraid." Olivia's head dropped.

"You misread my pain as fear." Dana cupped Olivia's chin with her hand and lifted it so they were looking eye to eye. "I know what you are thinking. You are not him, you never will be. I'm not afraid of you Olivia. I could never be afraid of you."

An hour later, after promising to be completely open with each other about what they were feeling, lest their relationship crumble to ruins; Dana was letting the hot water run down her back and had her eyes closed when she felt a hand slip between her legs. She smiled as she opened her eyes to see Olivia standing in front of her. Olivia pulled her into a passionate kiss, as she expertly brought her to climax.

They took turns helping each other get clean, and drying each other off. Olivia then led Dana back to the bedroom. Dana climbed into the clean bed and Olivia pulled her smaller body into the curve of hers. She pressed her lips to Dana's ear, "I think I love you."

"It's just the sex Detective." Dana replied.

"No, I know I love the sex." Olivia laughed. "You're the greatest in bed. I'd hate to see how good you'd be if you were experienced. But I really do think I love you."

"Well, in that case…" Dana's voice trailed off as she pulled Olivia's arms tighter around her body. "I am pretty certain I love you too, Liv."

Finally contented, having made love, having felt love, and now sharing a bed, the two women drifted off to sleep.

* * *

><p>"Nooooo!" Dana's screams pierced through the dark of night. Olivia was immediately torn from her own peaceful sleep at the sound. She looked across the bed at the still sleeping red head. Her body was tense and she was whining the word no, over and over again.<p>

Olivia reached over and touched her shoulder. "Dana, wake up." When she didn't respond she shook her. "It's just a dream honey, wake up."

Dana rolled towards her. "Did I wake you?"

Olivia nodded. "Yes. Want to tell me about it?"

"No." Dana curled up against her body, and Olivia couldn't help but pull her into her strong embrace.

"It's ok." Olivia reassured her, as she rubbed small circles into her back. She slowly rocked the smaller woman in her arms.

Dana wished she hadn't forgiven Alex; at least then her nightmares would only be plagued with visions of Olivia's mangled and tortured body. Not that those visions weren't bad enough, but now the serial killer in her dreams was killing everyone. Tonight she had walked into a room with several naked and headless bodies. The first two bodies had been male and as she made it further into the chilly basement she came across three female bodies. She heard a sound and turned, sweeping the area with her gun and flashlight. The image still burned at the back of her eyes.

Olivia held her even tighter as she began to shiver. "It'll help to talk about it."

Dana nodded and pulled herself away from Olivia. "It's really bad though."

"I think I can handle it." Olivia smiled calmly into the darkness.

Dana told her how the dream began, and about hearing the noise. "When I turned, there were heads against the wall. The first one my beam landed on was Elliot, the second was Abbie." She swallowed the lump in the throat. "Then I came to Alex, her beautiful hair was all matted with blood, and she was missing an eye."

She cried for several minutes, and Olivia took hold of her hand. She waited patiently for Dana to continue. "I moved the flashlight a little further and Mulder was, the back of his head was bashed in. I could see his brain."

"It was just a dream Dana." Olivia squeezed her hand reassuringly.

"That's not all. The last head was yours." She pulled her hand away and covered her face. "The pain in your eyes, it was so real. And I heard the sound again. I thought your bodiless head was trying to talk to me. Something was moving behind your lips, but when your mouth opened a large gray rat climbed out. I just couldn't take it. I can't bear the thought of loosing you."

Olivia pulled her back into her arms. "I'm not going anywhere honey. I'll always be right here Dana."

But they both knew it was a promise no one could keep. There were too many unknowns in the world to ensure anyone was one hundred percent safe.

* * *

><p>There is a follow up story to this one if anyone is interested. I will try and do better about posting it, I just got extremely busy for a while after the holidays. Thanks to my loyal readers who reminded me I still hadn't finished it. :)<p> 


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